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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bowl · net · vault · mug · cap · trunk · ball · root

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cap — of ice
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mug — a face
  11. net — after costs
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mug — a cup
  15. net — for catching
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. root — of a word
  18. net — in sport
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. cap — a hat
  21. root — of a plant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. root — the cause

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