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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.

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 · coach · vault · key · pitcher · field · foot · object

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. field — for sport
  5. key — in music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. object — to protest
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. field — farmland
  12. object — a thing
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. object — an aim
  19. field — a subject
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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