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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. key — in music
  3. craft — boats
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — the most important part
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. hand — help
  12. perch — the fish
  13. date — the fruit
  14. craft — a skill
  15. key — for a lock
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. date — on the calendar

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