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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: chest · squash · craft · suit · vault · race · rock · jam

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. race — humankind
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. chest — a box
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. squash — to crush
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. craft — boats
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. suit — clothes
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. vault — a safe
  15. suit — in cards
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rock — a stone
  19. race — the arms race
  20. craft — a skill
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. race — a contest
  24. rock — music

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