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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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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: stem · race · deal · bark · bay · vault · rule · stick

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rule — a law
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. race — a contest
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rule — government
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bark — to shout
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stem — to come from
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. race — humankind
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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