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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — a safe
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stand — to bear
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. root — of a word
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wave — with your hand

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