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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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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: pound · stick · drill · pit · bark · kick · lash · vault

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. vault — a safe
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. kick — in football
  24. pit — a hole

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