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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: bat · vault · root · mate · jam · fall · hide · deal

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fall — to drop
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mate — to breed
  8. root — of a word
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fall — to drop
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. deal — to handle
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. fall — the season
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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