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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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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: fork · vault · leaves · ball · bear · band · saw · court

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ball — a great time
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. court — of a king
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ball — a dance
  15. band — a ring
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. court — of law
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. court — for sport
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. saw — the tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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