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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: cap · vault · fine · stick · mate · craft

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fine — all right
  5. cap — a lid
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. mate — a friend
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mate — to breed
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — high quality
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cap — a hat
  18. craft — a handicraft

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