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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. drill — army training
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. spring — the season
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spring — of water
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. spring — a coil
  18. drill — the tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. drill — a practice
  23. snap — to click
  24. vault — a safe

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