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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. date — the fruit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. craft — a skill
  5. squash — to crush
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. spell — magic
  10. craft — boats
  11. vault — a safe
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — an aim
  16. spell — letters
  17. object — to protest
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fork — in a road
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. spell — a short time
  24. squash — the sport

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