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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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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: mug · club · vault · toast · lie · hand · root · file

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — a group
  3. hand — in cards
  4. root — the cause
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. toast — bread
  10. mug — a face
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. vault — a safe
  13. root — of a word
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mug — a cup
  20. file — a line of people
  21. root — of a plant
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mug — to rob
  24. hand — help

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