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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: calf · prune · snap · net · root · vault · pop · bowl

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. net — after costs
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. root — the cause
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. pop — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. net — in sport
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pop — soda
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. vault — a safe
  22. net — for catching
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. snap — to click

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