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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: trunk · vault · object · clip · bark · bulb · land · safe

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. clip — to cut
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. clip — a video
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. clip — for paper
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. land — a country
  21. object — a thing
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bulb — for light

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