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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. root — of a plant
  3. land — a country
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. game — a match
  6. root — the cause
  7. ground — the earth
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. game — wild animals
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. root — of a word
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. land — ground
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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