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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: field · saw · rest · track · root · pop · stick · vault

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — the cause
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. track — a song
  6. field — a subject
  7. track — to keep track
  8. field — for sport
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pop — to visit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — a path
  15. saw — the tool
  16. field — farmland
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. root — of a word
  21. pop — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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