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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: craft · degree · sharp · charge · vault · pop · firm · hide

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. vault — a safe
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pop — soda
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — temperature
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. charge — in control
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. firm — steady
  20. degree — an amount
  21. charge — a price
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pop — to visit
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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