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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: jam · kick · wind · coach · root · dip · vault · mine

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mine — for digging
  4. root — of a word
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. dip — to sink
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wind — moving air
  12. root — the cause
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. vault — a safe
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. wind — moving air
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. root — of a plant

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