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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: spell · craft · pit · mark · vault · field · ball · net

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. spell — a short time
  4. net — in sport
  5. vault — a safe
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. ball — a dance
  9. spell — magic
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. net — for catching
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. net — after costs
  20. field — a subject
  21. pit — in a race
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mark — a trace
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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