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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: bear · pop · root · march · band · vault · pass · mouse

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bear — the animal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. root — the cause
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bear — the animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. march — music
  10. root — of a word
  11. march — the month
  12. pop — soda
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. band — a ring
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pop — music

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