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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: roll · vault · deal · pitch · stem · saw · cap · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. deal — to handle
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. roll — a cake
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitch — completely
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. saw — the tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stem — of a plant

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