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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 116 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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. game — a match
  4. land — a country
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bark — to shout
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — of a word
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ball — a great time
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. land — ground
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. game — wild animals
  21. ball — a dance
  22. land — to come down
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. tube — a container

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