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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
468
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: roll · bark · can · perch · spell · key · vault · wake

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wake — a trail
  5. can — a tin
  6. bark — to shout
  7. vault — a safe
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — a tin
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. spell — letters
  16. key — the most important part
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. perch — the fish
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. spell — magic
  23. roll — a list
  24. can — to be able to

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