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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — a tin
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. can — a tin
  11. kid — to tease
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bark — to shout
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. kid — child
  19. rock — music
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. safe — out of danger

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