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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: firm · toast · drill · mine · vault · stem · bulb · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. drill — army training
  3. mine — for digging
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. craft — boats
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — steady
  19. toast — bread
  20. drill — the tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. stem — to come from
  23. firm — decided
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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