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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. club — a group
  4. content — the amount
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — a safe
  8. scale — in music
  9. cold — an illness
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. charge — a price
  13. club — for golf
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. charge — in control
  16. cold — not warm
  17. charge — electricity
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — happy
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. scale — size or range
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. club — for dancing

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