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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: court · hand · vault · hide · fork · bear · pass · spell

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. fork — in a road
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. court — for sport
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. court — of law
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. court — of a king
  22. vault — a safe
  23. spell — letters
  24. hide — to keep secret

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