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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. track — a path
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. firm — a company
  8. track — a song
  9. game — wild animals
  10. firm — decided
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. firm — steady
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. game — a match
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bowl — a football final

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