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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stand — to bear
  5. deal — to handle
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stand — on your feet

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