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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. current — happening now
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. spell — magic
  5. cap — a hat
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. current — electric
  10. ball — a dance
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. spell — a short time
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. current — of water
  18. deal — to handle
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. spell — letters
  21. cap — a lid
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cap — of ice
  24. coach — a trainer

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