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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. staff — employees
  3. charge — a price
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. staff — a stick
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. kid — child
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mine — for digging
  20. staff — employees
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — in control

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