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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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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: roll · root · wound · row · dip · wax · vault · bulb

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. roll — a list
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bulb — for light
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. wax — to grow
  10. row — to paddle
  11. wound — an injury
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. row — a line
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. dip — to sink
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wound — an injury

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