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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. content — the amount
  5. squash — to crush
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. content — happy
  18. bear — the animal
  19. vault — a safe
  20. rest — a break
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. squash — the sport
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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