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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: vault · present · sharp · bulb · spring · rash · pass · craft

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spring — the season
  3. present — a gift
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pass — a permit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. present — there
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — boats
  14. spring — a coil
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rash — a series
  18. present — the time now
  19. spring — of water
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rash — hasty

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