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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. row — a line
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. sharp — clever
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. club — a group
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. squash — to crush
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — for money

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