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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: can · vault · row · deal · spell · roll · last · net

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. spell — a short time
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. net — after costs
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. roll — a cake
  8. last — final
  9. net — for catching
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. can — a tin
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. can — a tin
  16. row — to paddle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. row — a line
  19. net — in sport
  20. last — finally
  21. spell — letters
  22. last — to go on
  23. can — to be able to
  24. roll — on a roll

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