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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pass — a permit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kick — in football
  8. degree — from a university
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. root — the cause
  11. bat — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. degree — temperature
  19. root — of a word
  20. degree — an amount
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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