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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. root — of a plant
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. vault — a safe
  6. suit — clothes
  7. root — of a word
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bass — the fish
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — the cause
  24. bass — low music

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