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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: mark · saw · deal · vault · mug · capital · snap · field

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. field — farmland
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. saw — the tool
  7. field — a subject
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. capital — money
  10. field — for sport
  11. mug — to rob
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mug — a cup
  15. saw — the tool
  16. capital — a city
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. mug — a face
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. vault — a safe

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