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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.

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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. track — to keep track
  4. march — the month
  5. object — an aim
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. craft — a skill
  8. net — for catching
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. suit — to fit
  11. march — music
  12. craft — boats
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. object — to protest
  15. squash — to crush
  16. suit — clothes
  17. object — a thing
  18. track — a song
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. net — in sport
  21. vault — a safe
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — in cards
  24. track — a path

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