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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bass — low music
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. fine — all right
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fall — to drop
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — help
  12. fall — the season
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. fine — high quality
  19. key — in music
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fall — to drop

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