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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. game — wild animals
  5. craft — boats
  6. game — a match
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bore — to tire
  9. squash — the sport
  10. craft — a skill
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bore — to drill
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. track — a song
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a path
  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