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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: ball · bowl · fork · vault · calf · trunk · board · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ball — a great time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. vault — a safe
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. board — a committee
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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