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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.

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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: kick · sharp · suit · ruler · vault · land · bark · dip

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. sharp — clever
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. land — a country
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. dip — to sink
  11. suit — in cards
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — clothes
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bark — to shout
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. dip — to dunk

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