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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bore — to drill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. vault — a safe
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bore — to tire
  9. snap — to click
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bear — the animal
  13. date — the fruit
  14. craft — boats
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. craft — a skill
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bear — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a great time
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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