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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · rest · game · spring · vault · craft · jam · mine

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spring — a coil
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. game — a match
  12. rest — what's left
  13. spring — the season
  14. mine — for digging
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. spring — of water
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rest — a break

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