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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 116 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — to get on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. shower — rain
  10. vault — a safe
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. saw — the tool
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rock — a stone
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. deal — to handle
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. shower — to wash
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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