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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: staff · chip · mug · snap · vault · fan · craft · net

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mug — to rob
  5. craft — boats
  6. staff — a stick
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. chip — for betting
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mug — a cup
  11. snap — to click
  12. net — after costs
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. net — in sport
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. vault — a safe
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — for catching
  24. mug — a face

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