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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rash — a series
  3. deal — to handle
  4. vault — a safe
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rash — hasty
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. can — to be able to
  16. band — a ring
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. can — a tin

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