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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 116 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: bulb · present · bass · straw · vault · bay · craft · ball

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. present — a gift
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bass — the fish
  14. vault — a safe
  15. present — the time now
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ball — a dance
  24. present — there

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