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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mate — a partner
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fine — all right
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ball — a dance
  12. vault — a safe
  13. drill — the tool
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a great time
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. squash — to crush
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fine — high quality
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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