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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: hand · hide · charge · bark · wound · drill · can · vault

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wound — an injury
  3. can — to be able to
  4. vault — a safe
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. drill — a practice
  7. can — a tin
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. drill — army training
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. charge — electricity
  17. drill — the tool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. can — a tin
  24. hand — help

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