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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. root — of a word
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. root — the cause
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a plant
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. shower — rain
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. plane — a tool
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bank — for money

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