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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. degree — temperature
  4. swing — to play on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. firm — steady
  9. degree — an amount
  10. craft — boats
  11. firm — decided
  12. suit — to fit
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. file — a tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. degree — from a university
  19. firm — a company
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. craft — a skill

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