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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bark — to shout
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. firm — decided
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. march — music
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. charge — a price
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. date — the fruit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — a company
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. firm — steady
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wax — to grow
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bark — of a tree

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