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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chair · bound · pass · bat · root · squash · plane · vault

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the sport
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bound — tied together
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. root — the cause
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — the vegetable

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