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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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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: club · cell · chest · pound · present · vault · suit · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. chest — of your body
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. root — the cause
  7. suit — in cards
  8. present — there
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cell — a phone
  11. suit — clothes
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cell — in biology
  17. present — the time now
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chest — a box
  21. vault — a safe
  22. club — for golf
  23. chest — of your body
  24. present — a gift

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