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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 116 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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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 · bark · calf · cabinet · band · spring · ruler · lash

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bark — to shout
  4. band — a ring
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. spring — a coil
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. band — a music group
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — of water
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. spring — the season

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