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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pop — soda
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. field — a subject
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — music
  16. field — farmland
  17. bank — for money
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. root — of a word
  21. pop — to visit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. field — for sport
  24. bank — of a river

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