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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: rule · vault · roll · bay · branch · root · ball · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. rule — a law
  3. roll — a list
  4. root — of a plant
  5. vault — a safe
  6. root — the cause
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. root — of a word
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ball — a great time
  22. branch — a division
  23. rule — government
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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