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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
468
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: racket · spring · land · vault · pass · root · pop · suit

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. land — a country
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. suit — in cards
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. vault — a safe
  12. root — the cause
  13. spring — of water
  14. land — ground
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. pop — to visit
  18. land — to come down
  19. root — of a word
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pop — soda
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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