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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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pop — music
  8. bass — low music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — the time now
  11. pop — soda
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. present — a gift
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — there
  18. deal — to handle
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bass — the fish
  24. hand — help

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