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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 116 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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — for light
  5. field — farmland
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. root — the cause
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. field — a subject
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. game — wild animals
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. field — for sport
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — a match
  24. root — of a word

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