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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 120 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. ball — a dance
  20. deal — to handle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ball — a great time
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pass — to succeed

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