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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bank — for money
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pit — a hole
  7. root — the cause
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pit — in a race
  10. root — of a word
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ground — a position
  14. kick — in football
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bank — of a river
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bark — to shout
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. root — of a plant

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