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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: rest · squash · drill · vault · root · fork · trunk · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — of a plant
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rest — a break
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. root — the cause
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. root — of a word
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. drill — a practice
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fork — in a road
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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