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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: key · fork · nail · perch · vault · bore · deal · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. key — in music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. field — a subject
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. key — for a lock
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. vault — a safe
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bore — to tire
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. field — farmland
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — to drill
  24. key — the most important part

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