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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.

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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. file — a document
  3. drill — a practice
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. tube — a container
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. drill — army training
  9. file — a tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tube — the underground

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