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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: firm · club · vault · fork · bark · cue · craft · object

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — for pool
  4. club — a group
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cue — a signal
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. object — an aim
  15. cue — a hint
  16. craft — boats
  17. club — for golf
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. club — for dancing
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fork — in a road
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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