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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. staff — a stick
  5. object — a thing
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. cold — not warm
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — an aim
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. staff — employees
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. deal — to handle
  18. band — a music group
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — to protest
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cold — an illness

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