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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: bowl · ground · key · arm · fork · craft · bay · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. craft — boats
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. key — in music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ground — a position
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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