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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 116 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: bark · plane · pop · pitcher · vault · hide · bore · track

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — a song
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pop — music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — soda
  12. track — a path
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bore — to tire
  19. track — to keep track
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bore — to drill
  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