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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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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: lash · file · rock · kid · bark · pop · craft · vault

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rock — a stone
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rock — music
  5. kid — child
  6. pop — music
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. file — a tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pop — to visit
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pop — soda
  17. kid — to tease
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. file — a line of people
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. file — a document
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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