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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: cap · bass · root · pitcher · clip · vault · pit · bay

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. clip — to cut
  3. root — of a word
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bass — low music
  7. clip — a video
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — a lid
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cap — of ice
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — a hole

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