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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: cell · leaves · roll · net · vault · track · lash · firm

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. track — a path
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. vault — a safe
  8. net — in sport
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. firm — a company
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. roll — a cake
  20. track — a song
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in biology
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. net — for catching

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