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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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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: wax · land · craft · lash · bark · object · vault · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bark — to shout
  6. land — to come down
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wax — to grow
  10. fork — in a road
  11. object — a thing
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. vault — a safe
  17. object — an aim
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. object — to protest
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. land — a country
  24. land — ground

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