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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: craft · net · wind · stick · mate · vault · mug · stand

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mate — to breed
  3. net — for catching
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. net — in sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mate — a partner
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wind — moving air
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. net — after costs
  17. mug — a face
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. craft — boats

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