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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — the cause
  5. vault — a safe
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. field — a subject
  9. last — to go on
  10. field — for sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — in a road
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — of a river
  16. root — of a plant
  17. last — finally
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. sharp — clever
  22. field — farmland
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stand — to bear

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