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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · rash · stand · current · vault · bark · trunk · scale

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rash — hasty
  4. current — of water
  5. vault — a safe
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rash — a series
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — size or range
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. craft — boats
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. stand — to bear
  21. current — electric
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rash — on the skin

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