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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
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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: bay · net · vault · ground · craft · field · can · firm

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. craft — a skill
  4. field — a subject
  5. net — in sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — for catching
  11. firm — a company
  12. craft — boats
  13. field — for sport
  14. firm — decided
  15. field — farmland
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. firm — steady
  18. ground — a position
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. net — after costs
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ground — crushed

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