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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 120 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: ball · trunk · bay · squash · pop · craft · cap · vault

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cap — of ice
  8. craft — boats
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ball — a great time
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cap — a hat
  15. squash — the sport
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pop — music
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — a skill
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pop — soda

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