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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a word
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. root — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. root — the cause
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mug — a cup
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mug — a face
  22. pit — in a race
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pit — a hole

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