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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: craft · chip · club · fine · vault · bear

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. chip — to eat
  3. craft — boats
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — all right
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. club — a group
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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