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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: bark · vault · press · scale · track · ball · craft · jam

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bark — to shout
  3. craft — boats
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ball — a great time
  6. track — a song
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. scale — in music
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. press — to push
  14. ball — a dance
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. press — a publisher
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. press — newspapers
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — size or range
  24. vault — a safe

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