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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. game — a match
  4. track — a path
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a song
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. game — wild animals
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cap — of ice
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. deal — to handle

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