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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: craft · chair · capital · lean · foot · root · vault · hide

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. root — of a plant
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. lean — to bend
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chair — a leader
  13. capital — a city
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. root — of a word
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. capital — money
  18. root — the cause
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lean — thin
  21. craft — boats
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. craft — a skill

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