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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 · sharp · craft · staff · vault · pop · stand · field

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. craft — boats
  4. swing — in golf
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. swing — music
  8. staff — a stick
  9. field — a subject
  10. staff — employees
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. swing — to play on
  17. field — farmland
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — to visit
  22. field — for sport
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stand — to bear

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