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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: root · bound · stand · pass · vault · cap · mug · degree

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mug — a face
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pass — a permit
  8. degree — from a university
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bound — certain
  13. root — of a word
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mug — to rob
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — an amount

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