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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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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: bay · suit · root · file · prune · mate · swing · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. root — of a plant
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — of a word
  5. file — a tool
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. swing — to play on
  8. mate — to breed
  9. root — the cause
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mate — a partner
  12. swing — in golf
  13. prune — to trim
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. file — a document
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. prune — to trim
  22. suit — in cards
  23. swing — music
  24. suit — clothes

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