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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: net · vault · lie · game · root · spring · coach · mine

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — of a plant
  3. spring — a coil
  4. root — the cause
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. net — after costs
  9. root — of a word
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. net — for catching
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. game — a match
  20. net — in sport
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. lie — an untruth

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