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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: craft · cabinet · fork · straw · spell · fan · mug · vault

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mug — a face
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spell — letters
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. craft — boats
  16. spell — a short time
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. vault — a safe
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. spell — magic
  24. mug — to rob

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