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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 116 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
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. charge — in control
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — there
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. kick — in football
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. present — the time now
  17. chair — a leader
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. present — a gift
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bowl — to roll

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