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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: date · ball · fan · spell · vault · object · root · court

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. root — the cause
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. root — of a word
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. court — of law
  12. object — to protest
  13. court — of a king
  14. object — a thing
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. court — for sport
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. object — an aim

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