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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: ball · spell · file · jam · craft · vault · arm · rash

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ball — a dance
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. craft — a skill
  9. spell — a short time
  10. vault — a safe
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. spell — letters
  13. rash — a series
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a document
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. file — a line of people
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. craft — boats
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. spell — magic
  24. rash — hasty

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