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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. root — the cause
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. present — the time now
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. vault — a safe
  17. present — there
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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