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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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — a friend
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bank — for money
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bass — low music
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — of a river
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mate — to breed
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — in a road
  22. craft — boats
  23. bass — the fish
  24. craft — a handicraft

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