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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: pit · bark · rule · vault · tear · mate · suit · board

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. board — a committee
  3. suit — clothes
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pit — a hole
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mate — to breed
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mate — a friend
  14. board — to get on
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pit — in a race
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. vault — a safe

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