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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spring — a coil
  5. object — a thing
  6. spring — the season
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. object — to protest
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — for money
  13. object — an aim
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. spring — of water
  23. fall — the season
  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