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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 120 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. court — of a king
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. craft — boats
  8. object — to protest
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. object — a thing
  11. mug — a cup
  12. saw — the tool
  13. court — of law
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. object — an aim
  17. drill — army training
  18. court — for sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mug — to rob

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