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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: straw · vault · craft · drill · bay · rest

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rest — a break
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. drill — a practice
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — a skill
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rest — what's left
  16. vault — a safe
  17. drill — army training
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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