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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 116 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: bark · drill · bear · plane · press · spring · vault · ball

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. spring — of water
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. press — newspapers
  8. drill — army training
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. press — to push
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. spring — the season
  18. ball — a dance
  19. plane — a tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. drill — a practice
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bear — the animal

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