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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: can · swing · vault · clip · deal · spell · saw · land

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. can — a tin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — in golf
  9. land — a country
  10. swing — music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. can — to be able to
  13. land — ground
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. clip — for paper
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — magic
  22. clip — a video
  23. saw — the tool
  24. clip — to cut

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