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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. vault — a safe
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pop — soda
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. land — ground
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pop — music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. kid — to tease
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. kid — child
  15. pop — to visit
  16. land — a country
  17. cell — a phone
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. land — to come down
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. pound — a weight

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