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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: dip · saw · object · arm · drill · bark · vault · stem

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to sink
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. stem — to come from
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. bark — to shout
  22. object — to protest
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bark — of a tree

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