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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: vault · game · root · rest · march · safe · stick · rash

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. march — the month
  3. rest — a break
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. game — a match
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rash — hasty
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. root — of a word
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. march — the month
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. root — of a plant
  20. march — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — the cause
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rash — a series

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