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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. roll — a cake
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — a song
  6. suit — to fit
  7. roll — a list
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. content — happy
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. suit — clothes
  15. vault — a safe
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — in cards
  18. snap — to click
  19. track — a path
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. content — the amount

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