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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. content — happy
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. content — the amount
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rock — a stone
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fall — the season
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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