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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: racket · bark · mark · stock · rest · lie · vault · bore

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — to recline
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stock — goods
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stock — shares
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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