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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: bear · craft · stick · hand · vault · rest · plane · jam

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rest — what's left
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rest — a break
  11. bear — the animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — boats
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. rest — what's left
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. hand — part of the body

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