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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. band — a ring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — boats
  13. spring — of water
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. spring — the season
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tear — to rip
  22. craft — a skill
  23. band — a music group
  24. tear — from crying

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