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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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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mark — a trace
  3. vault — a safe
  4. track — a song
  5. wake — a trail
  6. track — to keep track
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mark — a grade
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. track — a path
  14. row — a line
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. row — to paddle
  20. toast — bread
  21. pound — a weight
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. toast — the most admired

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