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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · pit · swing · craft · vault · fine

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fine — high quality
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pit — in a race
  7. craft — a skill
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fine — all right
  10. swing — in golf
  11. craft — boats
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pit — a hole
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. swing — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty

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