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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 116 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 · cue · vault · mine · pound · ball · leaves · net

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. root — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. root — of a word
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. root — the cause
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. net — after costs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. net — in sport
  18. cue — a signal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. vault — a safe
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cue — for pool

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