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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. object — to protest
  5. rest — what's left
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fall — the season
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mug — a cup
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mug — to rob
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rest — a break
  17. object — a thing
  18. rest — what's left
  19. object — an aim
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — in control
  22. fall — to drop
  23. charge — a price
  24. mug — a face

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