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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · bear · rest · bark · bank · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. firm — steady
  10. bank — of a river
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rest — what's left
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rest — a break
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. firm — decided

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