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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: ground · deal · fall · firm · date · tube · vault · rock

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. firm — decided
  4. fall — to drop
  5. tube — a container
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fall — to drop
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fall — the season
  18. vault — a safe
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rock — music

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