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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. suit — to fit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. press — newspapers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stock — goods
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. press — to push
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stock — shares
  20. snap — to click
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitcher — a jug

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