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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: kick · spell · net · vault · swing · sharp · root · perch

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. swing — to play on
  3. kick — in football
  4. swing — music
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. spell — a short time
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. net — in sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — of a word
  13. perch — the fish
  14. net — for catching
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. net — after costs
  17. swing — in golf
  18. spell — magic
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. vault — a safe

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