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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. root — of a word
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tear — from crying
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a tool
  8. root — of a plant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cold — not warm
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — to rip
  21. root — the cause
  22. file — a document
  23. cold — an illness
  24. cabinet — ministers

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