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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: vault · wave · firm · chip · sharp · mark · kick · craft

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — boats
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. vault — a safe
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. kick — in football
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. craft — a skill
  20. firm — steady
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — to eat

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