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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: fall · craft · prune · suit · ball · vault · spell · mug

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ball — a great time
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — in cards
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. spell — letters
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mug — a cup
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mug — a face
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mug — to rob
  19. ball — a dance
  20. spell — magic
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spell — a short time
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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