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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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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: pitcher · bay · bulb · firm · vault · fall · bark · rock

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fall — the season
  12. firm — a company
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. firm — decided
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rock — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — to shout
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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