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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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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: root · wave · lean · mine · vault · coach · temple · field

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mine — for digging
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lean — thin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. field — for sport
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. root — of a word
  15. vault — a safe
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. field — farmland
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. field — a subject
  24. root — the cause

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