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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. march — the month
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spell — letters
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mate — a friend
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. march — music
  15. court — for sport
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mate — a partner
  18. march — the month
  19. deal — to handle
  20. spell — magic
  21. vault — a safe
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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