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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. march — music
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cue — for pool
  11. net — after costs
  12. cue — a signal
  13. net — in sport
  14. fine — all right
  15. net — for catching
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cue — a hint
  18. spell — letters
  19. march — the month
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. march — the month
  22. craft — boats
  23. fine — high quality
  24. craft — a skill

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