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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. spring — the season
  3. roll — a cake
  4. firm — steady
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pop — to visit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pop — soda
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pop — music
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — of water
  16. firm — decided
  17. march — music
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. roll — a list
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. calf — a young animal

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