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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: present · stem · lie · bark · current · tear · hide · vault

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. present — the time now
  6. tear — from crying
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tear — to rip
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. current — of water
  13. stem — to come from
  14. tear — from crying
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. vault — a safe
  21. current — electric
  22. present — a gift
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. current — happening now

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