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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: stick · straw · suit · club · vault · root · mouse · mate

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. club — for golf
  6. root — of a plant
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — to fit
  11. club — a group
  12. mate — to breed
  13. club — for dancing
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. root — the cause
  24. straw — dry grass

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