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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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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: wake · key · vault · kick · perch · rule · craft · rock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wake — a trail
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rule — a law
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rule — government
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. vault — a safe
  18. kick — in football
  19. rock — music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. key — in music
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. perch — for a bird

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