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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: lie · bark · deal · bore · foot · mine · patient · vault

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. deal — to handle
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mine — for digging
  24. deal — a big deal

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