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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. content — the amount
  21. mark — a trace
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. content — happy

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