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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. root — the cause
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cell — in biology
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wind — moving air
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tube — a container
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — in music
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — the most important part
  16. vault — a safe
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. prune — to trim

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