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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. vault — a safe
  3. net — in sport
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. net — after costs
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. craft — boats
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. craft — a skill
  18. hand — help
  19. saw — the tool
  20. net — for catching
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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