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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · object · deal · vault · bear · chest

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. vault — a safe
  4. object — an aim
  5. chest — a box
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. object — a thing
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. object — to protest
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cap — a hat
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cap — a lid

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