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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: present · vault · racket · key · pop · date · root · march

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. march — music
  4. root — the cause
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. march — the month
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. key — in music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. vault — a safe
  13. present — the time now
  14. key — the most important part
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pop — soda
  17. date — the fruit
  18. present — a gift
  19. march — the month
  20. present — there
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — of a word
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. racket — a loud noise

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