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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: lash · fork · leaves · kick · can · vault · stick · stand

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — in football
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fork — in a road
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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