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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: squash · safe · vault · foot · capital · root · charge · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. root — of a word
  3. capital — money
  4. charge — in control
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. spring — of water
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. vault — a safe
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. charge — a price
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. foot — a measure
  15. capital — a city
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — electricity
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. spring — the season

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