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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · lie · craft · spell · game · club · mouse · can

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. club — for golf
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. craft — a skill
  5. can — a tin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. game — a match
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. club — a group
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spell — magic
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mouse — the animal

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