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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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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: cold · content · vault · bound · coach · wound · pit · root

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. root — of a word
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bound — tied together
  5. root — the cause
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. root — of a plant
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cold — an illness
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bound — obliged
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cold — not warm
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bound — certain
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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