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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: jam · bark · plane · bear · vault · stick · fall · cap

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fall — to drop
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fall — the season
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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