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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. bass — low music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. vault — a safe
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bass — the fish
  9. foot — a measure
  10. dip — to sink
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pound — a weight
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bass — the instrument

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