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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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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: kick · vault · game · deal · root · saw · bark · can

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. deal — to handle
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. root — of a plant
  7. can — a tin
  8. root — of a word
  9. bark — to shout
  10. game — wild animals
  11. kick — in football
  12. saw — the tool
  13. root — the cause
  14. saw — the tool
  15. can — to be able to
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. game — a match
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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