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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: bark · club · dip · lash · temple · vault · fan · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. club — for dancing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. dip — to sink
  12. club — for golf
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rule — government
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rule — a law
  22. vault — a safe
  23. club — a group
  24. fan — a supporter

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