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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: wound · dip · board · key · drill · stick · root · vault

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. drill — a practice
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. root — the cause
  5. wound — an injury
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. drill — the tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wound — an injury
  15. key — in music
  16. vault — a safe
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. drill — army training
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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