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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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · current · arm · vault · pitch · land · rush · bear

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. land — ground
  5. current — electric
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bear — the animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. craft — boats
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pitch — completely
  14. current — happening now
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bear — the animal
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. current — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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