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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
468
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: present · rash · suit · band · bark · vault · club · land

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. land — ground
  3. bark — to shout
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. present — the time now
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. suit — to fit
  12. band — a ring
  13. land — a country
  14. suit — in cards
  15. band — a music group
  16. vault — a safe
  17. present — there
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. land — to come down

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