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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: clip · mark · pop · vault · temple · lash · bark · tube

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pop — music
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bark — to shout
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. vault — a safe
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pop — soda
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. tube — a container
  24. pop — to visit

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