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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: row · pound · tube · object · suit · deal · snap · vault

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. row — a line
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — a weight
  7. suit — to fit
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. object — to protest
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. tube — a container
  14. object — an aim
  15. tube — the underground
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. suit — clothes
  18. object — a thing
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. row — to paddle
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. snap — to click
  24. pound — to hit hard

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