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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. bore — to tire
  6. field — for sport
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. current — happening now
  9. bear — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. craft — a skill
  12. field — a subject
  13. craft — boats
  14. mark — a trace
  15. current — of water
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bear — the animal
  22. field — farmland
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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