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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mark — a trace
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. ball — a great time
  16. foot — a measure
  17. squash — to crush
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mark — a grade
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. squash — the vegetable

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