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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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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: bay · nail · vault · bark · perch · tube · firm · net

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. net — in sport
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. tube — a container
  7. firm — steady
  8. vault — a safe
  9. firm — a company
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. perch — the fish
  16. firm — decided
  17. net — after costs
  18. tube — the underground
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. net — for catching
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. nail — for a hammer

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