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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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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: pop · drill · hide · root · staff · pitch · leaves · vault

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. staff — employees
  5. pop — soda
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. staff — employees
  10. root — the cause
  11. pitch — completely
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pop — music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. root — of a word
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. vault — a safe
  22. drill — a practice
  23. root — of a plant
  24. drill — army training

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