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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. craft — boats
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. degree — from a university
  11. craft — a skill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pit — a hole
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pit — in a race
  20. capital — money
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. degree — an amount

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