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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.

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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: safe · tear · pitch · craft · mate · wax · vault · roll

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tear — from crying
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mate — a partner
  9. craft — a skill
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mate — to breed
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wax — to grow
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. craft — boats
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. tear — from crying
  23. roll — a list
  24. wax — for sculpting

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