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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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 — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. root — the cause
  5. vault — a safe
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. rule — government
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. root — of a plant
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. root — of a word
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lean — to bend
  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