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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: perch · root · key · patient · march · craft · swing · vault

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. root — the cause
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. march — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. craft — boats
  8. march — the month
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — music
  11. vault — a safe
  12. swing — to play on
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. perch — the fish
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. key — for a lock
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — of a plant
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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