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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 124 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. snap — to click
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. firm — steady
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wake — a trail
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. firm — decided
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hand — help
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. firm — a company
  21. hand — in cards
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pound — a weight
  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