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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 was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. vault — a safe
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — the earth
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. root — of a word
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rock — music
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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