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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: squash · vault · game · spell · spring · saw · root · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. root — of a word
  3. game — wild animals
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. spring — the season
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. spell — letters
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — a match
  15. squash — the sport
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spring — of water
  18. squash — to crush
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — magic
  24. vault — a safe

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