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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: bark · lie · clip · mouse · bore · object · cue · vault

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cue — a signal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. clip — a video
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. vault — a safe

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