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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. season — of the year
  11. pitch — completely
  12. vault — a safe
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — a company
  24. jam — in traffic

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