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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: track · deal · nail · rush · pound · vault · bear · roll

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pound — a weight
  11. roll — a list
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. roll — a cake
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. track — to keep track
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. nail — for a hammer

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