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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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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: fork · vault · coach · calf · mark · safe · bark · land

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fork — in a road
  5. land — ground
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mark — a trace
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fork — a garden tool

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