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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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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: swing · fork · vault · craft · bowl · bark · face · nail

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. face — to point toward
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bark — to shout
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. face — to confront
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. craft — boats
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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