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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. spell — letters
  5. deal — to handle
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cue — a signal
  10. hand — help
  11. squash — the sport
  12. present — there
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spell — magic
  18. bound — certain
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. squash — to crush
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hand — in cards

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