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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: key · mine · vault · stock · board · snap · ruler · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. board — a committee
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. stock — shares
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mine — for digging
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — to get on
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — in music
  24. stock — a soup base

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