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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: key · bark · wind · ruler · pit · vault

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wind — to turn a key

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