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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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Word bank
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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: wake · vault · band · can · land · root · fork · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. land — to come down
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. root — of a word
  12. land — a country
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fork — in a road
  15. vault — a safe
  16. band — a music group
  17. land — ground
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. can — to be able to
  20. band — a ring
  21. can — a tin
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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