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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. vault — a safe
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pass — a permit
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. spring — of water
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. spring — a coil
  13. deal — to handle
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bark — to shout
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — clothes

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