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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: bass · stand · rule · root · wind · vault · track · saw

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. track — a song
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. root — of a word
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bass — the fish
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rule — government
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. root — the cause
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. track — a path
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rule — a law
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bass — low music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stand — to bear
  24. root — 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