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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: pound · root · key · shower · net · vault · fall · mug

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. mug — a face
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fall — to drop
  7. shower — to wash
  8. net — for catching
  9. key — in music
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fall — the season
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — a cup
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. shower — rain
  16. net — in sport
  17. root — the cause
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. net — after costs
  21. root — of a word
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pound — a weight

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