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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. field — farmland
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. present — a gift
  7. last — final
  8. craft — a skill
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. last — finally
  12. vault — a safe
  13. field — for sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. last — to go on
  17. craft — boats
  18. field — a subject

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