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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pit — in a race
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. track — to keep track
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — a skill
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kick — in football

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