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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 120 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: perch · firm · field · wave · deal · vault · nail · kid

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. deal — to handle
  5. firm — a company
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. firm — decided
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. perch — the fish
  13. vault — a safe
  14. firm — steady
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — to tease
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — a subject
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kid — child

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