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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: spell · drill · toast · face · vault · root · cap · stem

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cap — a lid
  3. face — to point toward
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. spell — a short time
  7. root — the cause
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. cap — of ice
  11. drill — army training
  12. stem — to come from
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. toast — bread
  18. cap — a hat
  19. root — of a plant
  20. face — part of the head
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. drill — a practice
  23. face — to confront
  24. toast — the most admired

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