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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: staff · vault · lie · cell · mouse · root · fan · row

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. root — the cause
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — of a word
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. row — a line
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — to paddle
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. vault — a safe
  24. staff — employees

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