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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 116 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: vault · cue · suit · bear · ground · current · race · bark

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ground — the earth
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ground — a position
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. cue — for pool
  13. race — the arms race
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. current — electric
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. ground — crushed
  24. suit — to fit

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