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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. snap — to click
  3. bore — to tire
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. craft — boats
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. net — after costs
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. net — for catching
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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