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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. drill — the tool
  4. kid — child
  5. deal — to handle
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. present — there
  8. object — an aim
  9. drill — a practice
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rock — a stone
  12. row — a line
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. drill — army training
  16. object — a thing
  17. present — the time now
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. object — to protest
  21. rock — music
  22. kid — to tease
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. vault — a safe

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