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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 116 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: vault · wind · root · bank · fork · rule · pitcher · wave

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. root — of a plant
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rule — government
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. root — the cause
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wind — moving air
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. root — of a word
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wind — moving air
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rule — a law

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