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

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. craft — boats
  4. cell — a phone
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stand — to bear
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cell — in biology
  17. craft — a skill
  18. toast — bread

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