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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 120 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: deal · vault · row · straw · trunk · cap · mark · pass

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — a permit
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mark — a trace
  6. vault — a safe
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. cap — a hat
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. cap — of ice
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. row — a line

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