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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. field — farmland
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. suit — clothes
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. suit — in cards
  12. vault — a safe
  13. deal — to handle
  14. game — wild animals
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rash — a series
  17. suit — to fit
  18. field — a subject
  19. game — a match
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rash — hasty
  22. craft — boats
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. field — for 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