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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: board · vault · object · bark · plane · pitcher · staff · tube

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. object — an aim
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. tube — the underground
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. object — to protest
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. board — a committee
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. board — to get on
  17. bark — to shout
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. staff — a stick
  22. tube — a container
  23. object — a thing
  24. staff — employees

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