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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. staff — employees
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. charge — in control
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. staff — employees
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. craft — a handicraft

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