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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.

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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: firm · mine · vault · craft · fork · mate · bank · key

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — in a road
  6. craft — boats
  7. firm — decided
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mate — to breed
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mine — for digging
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mate — a friend
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. firm — a company
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bank — for money

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