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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. land — to come down
  6. object — to protest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. land — ground
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — a thing
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bark — to shout
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — the animal

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