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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 120 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: vault · mug · chest · land · pop · mark · mouse · bark

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. land — a country
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pop — music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mug — a cup
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bark — to shout
  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