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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: mark · bass · cell · vault · perch · deal · mug · rash

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mug — a face
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mark — a trace
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cell — in biology
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rash — a series
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. rash — hasty
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mark — a grade

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