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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: suit · coach · straw · rule · vault · spring · root · prune

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rule — a law
  5. root — of a plant
  6. spring — a coil
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — in cards
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. spring — the season
  12. rule — government
  13. root — of a word
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. vault — a safe
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. straw — dry grass

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