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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lie — to recline
  4. vault — a safe
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wake — a trail
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. face — to point toward
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. capital — a city
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. face — to confront
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. capital — money
  24. coach — a trainer

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