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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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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: chip · spell · deal · bear · firm · key · court · vault

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — steady
  4. bear — the animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. spell — a short time
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. chip — for betting
  10. key — in music
  11. firm — decided
  12. vault — a safe
  13. key — the most important part
  14. court — for sport
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. court — of law
  18. spell — letters
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chip — to eat
  23. spell — magic
  24. key — for a lock

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