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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: vault · stick · club · bass · mark · bark · fall · bank

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fall — the season
  4. club — a group
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bark — to shout
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bank — for money
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — low music
  20. club — for golf
  21. bank — of a river
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bark — of a tree

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