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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: bark · roll · pound · object · vault · jam · cap · drill

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pound — a weight
  4. object — to protest
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. cap — of ice
  12. roll — a list
  13. object — an aim
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. drill — army training
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. vault — a safe
  22. object — a thing
  23. roll — a cake
  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