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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 · vault · straw · stem · craft · mouse

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. vault — a safe
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stem — to come from

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