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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · fan · deal · rash · vault · lash · roll · bore

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. game — a match
  2. bore — to tire
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rash — a series
  10. game — wild animals
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. roll — a cake
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. deal — to handle
  23. roll — a list
  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