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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: lean · chip · root · vault · wake · rash · clip · spell

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. clip — to cut
  2. rash — a series
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. root — of a plant
  6. spell — a short time
  7. root — of a word
  8. chip — for betting
  9. clip — for paper
  10. root — the cause
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spell — letters
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lean — to bend
  21. spell — magic
  22. clip — a video
  23. lean — thin
  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