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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. spring — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. object — to protest
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. march — music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spring — a coil
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. march — the month
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. spring — the season
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. march — the month
  22. object — a thing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. object — an aim

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