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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. craft — a skill
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. content — happy
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. squash — to crush
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bore — to tire
  12. content — the amount
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bore — to drill
  15. craft — boats
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mate — to breed

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