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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 120 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: bear · last · plane · game · vault · swing · craft · cabinet

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. craft — a skill
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bear — the animal
  7. game — a match
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. game — wild animals
  11. last — to go on
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. swing — music
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. craft — boats
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. last — finally
  24. vault — a safe

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