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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
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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: bat · vault · field · pit · track · key · root · tube

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. track — a song
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. track — to keep track
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bat — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. field — farmland
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. key — in music
  14. root — the cause
  15. track — a path
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — for sport
  18. vault — a safe
  19. tube — a container
  20. pit — in a race
  21. key — the most important part
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. key — for a lock

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