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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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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: pound · cap · bark · rule · row · charge · bank · vault

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. vault — a safe
  3. row — a line
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. charge — in control
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. charge — a price
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — a lid

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