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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 120 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: mug · dip · spell · vault · firm · rash · craft · row

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rash — a series
  3. firm — a company
  4. row — to paddle
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. firm — decided
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. spell — letters
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. firm — steady
  13. craft — a skill
  14. dip — to sink
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mug — a cup
  17. craft — boats
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rash — hasty
  23. vault — a safe
  24. row — a line

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