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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: charge · ruler · vault · bark · present · cap

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. charge — a price
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — in control
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bark — to shout
  9. present — the time now
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — there
  14. vault — a safe
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cap — of ice
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cap — a hat

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