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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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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: foot · stick · mate · cell · root · sharp · vault · bark

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cell — a phone
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mate — a partner
  7. sharp — clever
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. mate — to breed
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cell — in biology
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mate — a friend
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. root — of a word
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. sharp — exactly

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