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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · rush · vault · deal · bank · content · bore · land

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. tube — a container
  3. bank — for money
  4. land — ground
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. land — to come down
  11. content — happy
  12. tube — the underground
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bank — for money
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bore — to tire
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. vault — a safe
  21. content — the amount
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. land — a country
  24. bore — to drill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com