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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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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: sharp · bat · mug · vault · mark · rush · craft · pound

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. craft — boats
  10. mug — a face
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pound — a weight
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bat — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. sharp — clever
  20. vault — a safe
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bat — for baseball

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