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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 120 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: stick · vault · land · rest · root · tube · fan · race

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. vault — a safe
  5. root — the cause
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. land — to come down
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. land — ground
  11. race — a contest
  12. tube — a container
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. root — of a word
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — what's left
  19. land — a country
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rest — a break
  24. race — humankind

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