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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · vault · straw · coach · chest · perch · rush · can

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. perch — the fish
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. chest — of your body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. chest — a box
  23. bark — to shout
  24. can — to be able to

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