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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: pound · vault · lean · safe · ball · pit · march · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a dance
  4. vault — a safe
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pit — a hole
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — of a word
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. lean — thin
  14. ball — a great time
  15. march — the month
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — the cause
  18. march — the month
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. march — music
  21. pound — a weight
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pit — in a race

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