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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 120 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: vault · chair · pit · game · root · suit · mouse · ball

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. root — the cause
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ball — a great time
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. root — of a plant
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pit — a hole
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chair — a leader
  22. root — of a word
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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