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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: cabinet · vault · fork · temple · bear · wake · hand · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wake — a trail
  9. hand — help
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fall — the season
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. hand — in cards
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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