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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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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: pass · bear · rock · key · bark · arm · scale · vault

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bark — to shout
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. scale — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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