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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: vault · roll · rush · root · chest · pass · face · drill

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. root — of a word
  3. vault — a safe
  4. drill — army training
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chest — of your body
  7. root — the cause
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. roll — a cake
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. root — of a plant
  16. chest — of your body
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. chest — a box
  19. face — part of the head
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. face — to confront
  23. roll — a list
  24. rush — a thrill

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