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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rash — hasty
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stand — to bear
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rock — a stone
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. hand — help
  19. rash — a series
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rock — music
  24. mine — belonging to me

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