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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 120 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: fork · vault · prune · arm · ball · staff · rest · fine

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fork — in a road
  3. staff — employees
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fine — all right
  6. staff — employees
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rest — a break
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. staff — a stick
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ball — a great time
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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