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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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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: hand · suit · vault · rock · bark · bear · trunk · ball

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. hand — help
  3. bear — the animal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hand — in cards
  7. vault — a safe
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ball — a great time
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rock — music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. ball — a dance

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