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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: roll · rule · bark · club · lie · vault · fan · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — for dancing
  7. vault — a safe
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rule — a law
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. drill — a practice
  15. club — for golf
  16. rule — government
  17. roll — a list
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. roll — a cake
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. club — a group
  24. drill — army training

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