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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: firm · club · vault · fork · bark · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — a company
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. cue — for pool
  8. club — a group
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. firm — steady
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cue — a signal
  14. firm — decided
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. club — for golf
  18. fork — a garden tool

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