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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: foot · bark · vault · prune · ruler · mine · face · object

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bark — to shout
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. object — an aim
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. face — to point toward
  8. prune — to trim
  9. face — to confront
  10. object — to protest
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mine — for digging
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. foot — a measure

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