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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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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: game · snap · face · vault · pass · file · saw · root

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. file — a document
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. face — to point toward
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. root — the cause
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. saw — the tool
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — a match
  15. pass — a permit
  16. root — of a plant
  17. file — a line of people
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. root — of a word
  20. file — a tool
  21. face — part of the head
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. vault — a safe
  24. face — to confront

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