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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. root — the cause
  3. bulb — for light
  4. shower — rain
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. race — humankind
  8. cell — a phone
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. foot — a measure
  11. net — in sport
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. root — of a word
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — a safe
  17. root — of a plant
  18. shower — to wash
  19. net — after costs
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — of a plant

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