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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. court — of a king
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. branch — a division
  7. land — a country
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — to come down
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. can — a tin
  12. court — for sport
  13. can — to be able to
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — ground
  19. root — of a plant
  20. court — of law
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. board — a committee
  24. saw — the tool

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