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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: vault · season · craft · court · march · mouse · can · field

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. can — a tin
  3. season — of the year
  4. field — for sport
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. field — farmland
  8. vault — a safe
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. field — a subject
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. march — the month
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. court — for sport
  17. march — music
  18. court — of law
  19. march — the month
  20. court — of a king
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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