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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: squash · vault · craft · temple · toast · chest

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. vault — a safe
  7. craft — a skill
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. craft — boats
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. squash — the sport
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. chest — of your body
  17. toast — bread
  18. temple — a place of worship

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