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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 120 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: rush · vault · bowl · deal · lash · net · fork · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. net — after costs
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. vault — a safe
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. net — for catching
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bowl — a dish

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