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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: nail · content · pass · lie · vault · perch · swing · bark

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. swing — in golf
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bark — to shout
  11. vault — a safe
  12. perch — the fish
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. content — happy
  16. swing — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. swing — to play on

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