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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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Word bank
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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: spell · hide · deal · vault · bay · fork · coach · land

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spell — a short time
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. land — a country
  12. vault — a safe
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. spell — letters
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — to come down
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. land — ground
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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