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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.

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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. club — for golf
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — a price
  6. squash — to crush
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. season — in sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. deal — to handle
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fall — to drop
  13. club — for dancing
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. season — of the year
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. club — a group
  23. squash — the sport
  24. deal — an agreement

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