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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
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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: vault · date · march · bound · bark · bowl · charge · bore

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. march — music
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. charge — electricity
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. march — the month
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. charge — in control
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bore — to tire
  20. march — the month
  21. bound — certain
  22. bore — to drill
  23. charge — a price
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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