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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cue — a signal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. saw — the tool
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bound — certain
  8. root — of a word
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a hat
  11. land — ground
  12. bound — obliged
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cue — for pool
  15. root — the cause
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cap — of ice
  19. land — a country
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — a tin

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