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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.

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: bark · fall · deal · staff · sharp · vault · tube · mug

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mug — to rob
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bark — to shout
  7. deal — to handle
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. vault — a safe
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mug — a face
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — the season
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. staff — employees

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