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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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468
Word bank
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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. season — of the year
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. season — in sport
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. deal — to handle
  10. toast — bread
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a ring
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. band — a music group
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mine — for digging
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mine — an explosive

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