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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 116 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: fork · perch · bay · press · saw · wake · chip · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. press — newspapers
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. perch — the fish
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wake — a trail
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. saw — the tool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chip — in a computer

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