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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 · deal · spell · craft · game · arm · vault · clip

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fork — in a road
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — a match
  10. vault — a safe
  11. spell — magic
  12. clip — to cut
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. craft — boats
  15. clip — for paper
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. spell — letters
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. clip — a video

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