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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 116 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
468
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: rush · rock · squash · stem · row · root · leaves · vault

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rush — hurry
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. root — of a word
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. root — the cause
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. vault — a safe
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. row — to paddle
  23. squash — the sport
  24. row — a line

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