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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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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: fork · craft · jam · foot · press · toast · dip · vault

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. dip — to sink
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. press — a publisher
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. press — newspapers
  9. toast — bread
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. press — to push
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fork — in a road
  19. vault — a safe
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. craft — boats

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