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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: jam · vault · spell · degree · wound · pop · pound · craft

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. spell — letters
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. craft — a skill
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. degree — an amount
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wound — an injury
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. spell — magic
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — boats
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. vault — a safe

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