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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: saw · track · wound · key · vault · content · root · staff

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. vault — a safe
  6. content — the amount
  7. track — a song
  8. key — the most important part
  9. root — of a plant
  10. content — happy
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. staff — a stick
  14. track — to keep track
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. track — a path
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wound — an injury
  19. staff — employees
  20. wound — an injury
  21. staff — employees
  22. root — of a word
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. key — in music

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