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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: safe · vault · ball · bark · perch · rash · nail · branch

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a great time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — hasty
  6. ball — a dance
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bark — to shout
  9. perch — the fish
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. branch — a division
  13. rash — a series
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. nail — on a finger

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