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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: ruler · march · bore · ground · bark · pass · squash · vault

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. march — the month
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ground — crushed
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. march — the month
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ground — a position
  22. squash — the sport
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bore — gave birth

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