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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. object — a thing
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. staff — a stick
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. object — an aim
  11. staff — employees
  12. land — to come down
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. staff — employees
  15. object — to protest
  16. ball — a great time
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. ball — a dance
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. content — happy
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. content — the amount
  24. charge — a price

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