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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. root — the cause
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a plant
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. vault — a safe
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cell — a phone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. tear — from crying
  20. root — of a word
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — bread
  23. branch — a division
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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