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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: cue · capital · root · branch · wake · vault · hide · mark

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. capital — money
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. branch — a division
  6. root — of a word
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. root — the cause
  10. vault — a safe
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — a signal
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wake — a trail
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. hide — to keep secret

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