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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: wax · rock · rule · bark · vault · patient · scale · bank

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bark — to shout
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. rock — music
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rule — government
  19. wax — to grow
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bank — for money
  24. rule — to rule out

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