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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: cue · vault · bark · stand · rule · content

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — the amount
  4. cue — a hint
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. content — happy
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government

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