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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: rock · vault · lean · ground · bore · club · wound · deal

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. vault — a safe
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rock — music
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. club — a group
  15. rock — a stone
  16. club — for golf
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. deal — to handle
  24. ground — crushed

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