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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wound — an injury
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mine — for digging
  17. board — to get on
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. vault — a safe
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. scale — size or range

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