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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 120 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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. march — the month
  3. deal — to handle
  4. march — music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — a tin
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. vault — a safe
  13. march — the month
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. deal — an agreement

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