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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · wake · bark · leaves · root · spell · prune · vault

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. root — the cause
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. prune — to trim
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. spell — magic
  15. vault — a safe
  16. root — of a plant
  17. game — wild animals
  18. root — of a word
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. game — a match
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. spell — letters

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