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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. can — a tin
  3. snap — to click
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. last — final
  13. can — to be able to
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. last — to go on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. last — finally

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