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

Word bank: bark · race · stem · pound · charge · vault

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. charge — a price
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — in control
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind

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