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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: hide · can · row · bark · lie · drill · vault · wind

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. drill — the tool
  6. row — a line
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. drill — army training
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — to paddle
  22. bark — to shout
  23. can — a tin
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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