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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. object — an aim
  3. craft — boats
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. vault — a safe
  7. mug — a face
  8. craft — a skill
  9. object — a thing
  10. spell — magic
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. object — to protest
  13. mug — a cup
  14. spell — letters
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bat — the animal

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