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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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. perch — for a bird
  4. shower — to wash
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — a safe
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. deal — to handle
  12. shower — rain
  13. wake — a trail
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chip — for betting
  18. perch — the fish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. chip — to eat
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wake — before a funeral

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