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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: bound · vault · root · mate · chest · suit · fork · sharp

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mate — to breed
  3. suit — clothes
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — in cards
  6. root — of a plant
  7. suit — to fit
  8. root — the cause
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bound — obliged
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — of a word
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bound — certain
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. chest — a box
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mate — a friend

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