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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 120 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 · board · racket · content · present · vault

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. board — a committee
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — to get on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. craft — boats
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. content — happy
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. craft — a skill
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — a flat piece

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