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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wake · perch · cabinet · vault · object · pop · root · bound

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. perch — the fish
  3. object — to protest
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. object — a thing
  7. bound — tied together
  8. root — the cause
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. object — an aim
  14. bound — obliged
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pop — to visit
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bound — certain
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cabinet — ministers

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