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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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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: craft · bark · vault · lean · chip · lie · hide · ball

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. lean — thin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bark — to shout
  20. craft — boats
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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