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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 112 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: fork · vault · row · net · swing · stand · root · chip

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — to paddle
  6. chip — for betting
  7. net — in sport
  8. fork — in a road
  9. net — after costs
  10. root — of a plant
  11. swing — to play on
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. net — for catching
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  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