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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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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: root · bulb · court · mark · mouse · content · wave · vault

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. court — of law
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. root — of a word
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. root — the cause
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. court — for sport
  18. root — of a plant
  19. court — of a king
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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