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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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Word bank
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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: vault · craft · game · pound · stick · pit

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — a match
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pound — a weight
  6. craft — a skill
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pit — in a race
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — boats
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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