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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 116 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: safe · clip · board · pound · degree · root · key · vault

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pound — a weight
  4. board — to get on
  5. root — of a plant
  6. vault — a safe
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. board — a committee
  9. root — the cause
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. degree — temperature
  12. key — in music
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. key — the most important part
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. clip — for paper
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. degree — an amount
  22. clip — to cut
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — of a word

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