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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: season · rock · dip · vault · saw · bat · root · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. season — of the year
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. root — of a plant
  9. season — in sport
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rock — music
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rock — a stone
  15. suit — clothes
  16. root — of a word
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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