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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: band · arm · bark · vault · chair · suit · perch · fork

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bark — to shout
  5. band — a music group
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. band — a ring
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — in cards
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. vault — a safe
  20. chair — a leader
  21. perch — the fish
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. perch — for a bird

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