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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: ruler · bark · mark · cabinet · tear · vault · cell · drill

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cell — a phone
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. cell — in biology

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