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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bound — certain
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. branch — a division
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bound — tied together
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bound — obliged
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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