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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: hide · rest · vault · bass · fine · bowl · fork · bark

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rest — a break
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bass — low music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fine — all right

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