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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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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. charge — a price
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. charge — electricity
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. march — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. tear — from crying
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bark — to shout
  14. charge — in control
  15. march — the month
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. tear — from crying
  18. march — the month
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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