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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: mug · lean · pitcher · vault · sharp · craft · cap · hide

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lean — to bend
  6. craft — boats
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cap — a lid
  9. craft — a skill
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mug — a cup
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — thin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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