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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rest — what's left
  5. land — to come down
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. root — the cause
  8. mine — for digging
  9. craft — boats
  10. land — a country
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. root — of a word
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rest — a break
  16. root — of a plant
  17. tear — to rip
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. land — ground
  21. rest — what's left
  22. craft — a skill
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pop — soda

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