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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — in music
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. hand — help
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rule — government
  9. vault — a safe
  10. deal — to handle
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rule — a law

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