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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 · arm · coach · root · chip · stand · cabinet

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stand — to bear
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. chip — to eat
  13. root — the cause
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chip — for betting

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