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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: track · clip · root · spring · rule · snap · vault · date

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. root — the cause
  4. rule — a law
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. root — of a plant
  7. clip — a video
  8. date — the fruit
  9. vault — a safe
  10. snap — to click
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. clip — for paper
  13. root — of a word
  14. spring — of water
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rule — government
  17. track — a song
  18. spring — a coil
  19. track — to keep track
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. track — a path
  23. spring — the season
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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