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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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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: net · rash · bulb · bat · calf · vault · root · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rash — a series
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. root — the cause
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. net — after costs
  11. bat — the animal
  12. net — for catching
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. ground — crushed
  17. net — in sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rash — hasty
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bat — for baseball

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