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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: pop · vault · craft · rest · object · lie · snap · rash

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. craft — boats
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rash — hasty
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pop — to visit
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. object — to protest
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pop — soda
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rash — a series
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — a break
  19. snap — to click
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. object — an aim
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pop — music

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