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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. band — a music group
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. suit — in cards
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. vault — a safe
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a path
  14. suit — clothes
  15. perch — the fish
  16. track — to keep track
  17. band — a ring
  18. root — the cause
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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