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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 116 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
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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: suit · vault · craft · wound · fan · present · last · ground

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ground — a position
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. ground — crushed
  10. last — to go on
  11. suit — clothes
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — a gift
  15. suit — in cards
  16. last — final
  17. craft — boats
  18. ground — the earth
  19. last — finally
  20. vault — a safe
  21. suit — to fit
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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