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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bat — the animal
  4. root — the cause
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. shower — to wash
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. vault — a safe
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — of a word
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wound — an injury
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. shower — rain
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. wound — an injury
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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