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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · bark · object · wake · pass · vault · current · bat

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. current — of water
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. date — the fruit
  7. current — happening now
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. object — a thing
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bark — to shout
  16. current — electric
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wake — a trail
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. object — an aim
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. object — to protest

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