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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 116 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: bulb · wake · vault · present · fork · bear

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. present — the time now
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. present — a gift
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — a trail
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. present — there
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bear — the animal

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