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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. drill — the tool
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bore — to tire
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. squash — the sport
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bore — to drill
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fall — to drop
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rock — music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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