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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: roll · mark · ground · vault · patient · foot · root · bat

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. roll — a list
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. root — of a word
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. foot — a measure
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ground — a position
  12. roll — a cake
  13. vault — a safe
  14. ground — the earth
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. root — the cause
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ground — crushed
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. root — of a plant
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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