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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — the time now
  4. root — of a word
  5. fall — the season
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bank — of a river
  8. vault — a safe
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — for money
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. bank — for money
  15. fall — to drop
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fall — to drop
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. track — to keep track
  20. board — to get on
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. present — there
  23. root — the cause
  24. track — a song

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