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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: cold · cabinet · plane · object · vault · bulb · bark · rule

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. object — to protest
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rule — government
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. rule — a law
  10. cold — an illness
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — an aim
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cold — not warm
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. object — a thing
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. vault — a safe

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