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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · wave · bulb · vault · bore · ruler · squash

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — all right
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. vault — a safe
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fine — high quality
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bulb — of a plant

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