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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — to handle
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. root — the cause
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. root — of a word
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stock — goods
  14. bear — the animal
  15. band — a music group
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — shares
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. band — a ring
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. root — of a plant
  23. game — wild animals
  24. vault — a safe

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