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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pit — in a race
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. spell — magic
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. rock — music
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spell — a short time
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. craft — boats
  13. saw — the tool
  14. land — to come down
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. craft — a skill
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. vault — a safe
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pit — a hole

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