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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: spring · bark · ground · racket · track · vault · craft · bank

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. track — a path
  3. bank — for money
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ground — the earth
  8. vault — a safe
  9. track — to keep track
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ground — a position
  12. spring — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bank — of a river
  15. track — a song
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. craft — boats
  18. ground — crushed
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. spring — the season
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. racket — a loud noise

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