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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rock — music
  6. bass — low music
  7. vault — a safe
  8. chip — to eat
  9. march — the month
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bass — the fish
  13. march — the month
  14. chip — for betting
  15. deal — to handle
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. march — music
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bore — to drill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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