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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. object — an aim
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. object — to protest
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. suit — clothes
  23. object — a thing
  24. bark — of a tree

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