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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rest — what's left
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — a break
  11. bat — the animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. firm — decided
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — a safe
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cap — a lid
  24. deal — to handle

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