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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. content — the amount
  5. saw — the tool
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. craft — boats
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. vault — a safe
  11. content — happy
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mug — a face
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of a tree

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