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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 124 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — clever
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wake — a trail
  19. foot — a measure
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — for measuring

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