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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
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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: rush · land · cap · band · chair · march · bark · vault

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bark — to shout
  9. land — ground
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. band — a music group
  12. chair — a leader
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rush — hurry
  19. land — a country
  20. band — a ring
  21. march — music
  22. land — to come down
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — to hurry

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