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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 116 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: ground · key · hand · deal · present · stand · vault · row

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. vault — a safe
  4. key — for a lock
  5. present — the time now
  6. hand — help
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ground — the earth
  9. stand — to bear
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. present — a gift
  13. ground — crushed
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. present — there
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. row — a line
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. ground — a position
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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