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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: craft · pitcher · spell · plane · ruler · vault · present · snap

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. present — there
  3. spell — a short time
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. craft — a skill
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. spell — letters
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — boats
  15. snap — to click
  16. spell — magic
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. present — the time now
  22. plane — a tool
  23. present — a gift
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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