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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: band · tear · last · rock · root · squash · suit · vault

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. root — of a word
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. tear — to rip
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. root — of a plant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. last — final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. suit — to fit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rock — music
  18. band — a music group
  19. last — finally
  20. root — the cause
  21. last — to go on
  22. suit — clothes
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. vault — a safe

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