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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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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: coach · bark · vault · craft · firm · lie · board · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. board — to get on
  3. vault — a safe
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bark — to shout
  9. firm — decided
  10. craft — a skill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. craft — boats
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — happy
  21. board — a committee
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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