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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: racket · vault · rule · stem · key · root · rush · bear

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. key — in music
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. root — of a plant
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. root — the cause
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. vault — a safe
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stem — to come from
  19. root — of a word
  20. rule — government
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. key — for a lock
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. stem — of a plant

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