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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pit — in a race
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. object — an aim
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. chest — of your body
  9. track — a song
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. track — a path
  14. chest — of your body
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a dance
  17. object — a thing
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. object — to protest
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chest — a box
  22. pit — a hole
  23. date — the fruit
  24. deal — a big deal

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