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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. firm — steady
  6. rush — hurry
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. firm — decided
  10. wake — a trail
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. capital — money
  22. chip — for betting
  23. deal — to handle
  24. firm — a company

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