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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. race — a contest
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. root — of a plant
  14. race — the arms race
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — humankind
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. deal — to handle
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. content — happy
  24. vault — a safe

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