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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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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: key · foot · last · straw · vault · press · root · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. press — newspapers
  3. last — finally
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. key — in music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. vault — a safe
  8. root — of a plant
  9. suit — to fit
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. press — to push
  12. foot — a measure
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. suit — in cards
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — for a lock
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. key — the most important part
  24. root — the cause

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