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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 · date · craft · bound · rush · pit · vault · cue

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. cue — a signal
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bound — tied together
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. date — the fruit
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bound — certain
  24. date — on the calendar

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