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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. squash — the sport
  3. craft — boats
  4. content — happy
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. drill — the tool
  7. squash — to crush
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — a skill
  12. content — the amount
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. vault — a safe
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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