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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. shower — to wash
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. season — in sport
  8. march — music
  9. cap — a hat
  10. march — the month
  11. season — of the year
  12. march — the month
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. vault — a safe
  16. craft — a skill
  17. content — happy
  18. mark — a trace
  19. craft — boats
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. shower — rain
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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