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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: lean · club · mark · vault · pop · spell · perch · deal

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. spell — magic
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lean — thin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pop — music
  8. deal — to handle
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pop — soda
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spell — letters
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pop — to visit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. club — for golf
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. club — a group

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