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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
468
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: mug · drill · patient · bark · rash · ground · vault · bank

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bank — for money
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mug — to rob
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rash — a series
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ground — a position
  14. drill — a practice
  15. ground — crushed
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rash — hasty
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bank — for money
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mug — a face
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bark — of a tree

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