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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. root — the cause
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. game — wild animals
  5. hand — in cards
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — a match
  10. wax — to grow
  11. spell — magic
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. hand — help
  15. spell — letters
  16. bound — obliged
  17. vault — a safe
  18. root — of a word
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bound — tied together

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