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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: stick · toast · bark · rush · lash · vault · drill · net

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. drill — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. net — in sport
  18. bark — to shout
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — bread
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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