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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: firm · shower · net · arm · vault · lie · bark · mouse

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. shower — to wash
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bark — to shout
  11. net — in sport
  12. vault — a safe
  13. shower — rain
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. firm — a company
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. firm — steady
  19. net — for catching
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — after costs

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