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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: deal · fine · racket · mine · firm · vault · lash · rest

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. firm — a company
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. rest — what's left
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fine — high quality
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rest — a break
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — to handle
  18. firm — decided
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fine — all right
  24. mine — for digging

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