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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: vault · lean · jam · coach · cue · root · bound · mouse

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bound — tied together
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — thin
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bound — obliged
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bound — certain
  24. mouse — for a computer

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