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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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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 · craft · chair · band · calf · perch · branch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — a safe
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. craft — a skill
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. band — a music group
  8. craft — boats
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. fork — in a road
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. chair — a leader
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. band — a ring
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. band — a rubber band

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