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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: mug · last · key · root · vault · snap · can · bore

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mug — a face
  4. root — of a word
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. key — for a lock
  7. snap — to click
  8. mug — a cup
  9. key — in music
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bore — to drill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. can — a tin
  17. root — the cause
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bore — to tire
  20. last — finally
  21. last — final
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. last — to go on

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