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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 120 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 · mine · mark · straw · vault · press · pop · fork

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mark — a grade
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pop — music
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pop — to visit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mark — a trace
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pop — soda
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. fork — in a road
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. vault — a safe
  20. root — of a word
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mine — belonging to me

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