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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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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: jam · vault · tear · root · face · pound · bowl · stand

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. tear — to rip
  3. face — to point toward
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. tear — from crying
  6. face — to confront
  7. root — of a plant
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. root — the cause
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. tear — from crying
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pound — a weight
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. root — of a word
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pound — to hit hard

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