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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · kick · vault · root · suit · bay

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. 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. suit — clothes
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. root — the cause
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. tear — to rip
  10. vault — a safe
  11. root — of a word
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. root — of a plant
  14. kick — in football
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. tear — from crying
  17. suit — to fit
  18. 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