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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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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: net · bay · craft · bear · foot · cap · rash · vault

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — a safe
  6. net — after costs
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cap — of ice
  13. foot — a measure
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cap — a lid
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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