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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · suit · staff · deal · game · fine · shower · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. swing — music
  5. game — a match
  6. suit — in cards
  7. shower — to wash
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. shower — rain
  13. suit — clothes
  14. game — wild animals
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. suit — to fit
  18. deal — to handle
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. staff — employees
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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