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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fork — in a road
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. charge — in control
  12. rule — a law
  13. cell — in biology
  14. root — the cause
  15. face — to confront
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. face — to point toward
  20. cell — a phone
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rule — government
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — in an idiom

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