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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rash — hasty
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bank — for money
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rash — a series
  13. bank — of a river
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. rush — hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pitcher — a jug

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