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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: swing · stick · mark · vault · kid · craft

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. kid — to tease
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kid — child
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mark — to pay attention

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