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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. charge — in control
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. fine — high quality
  16. charge — a price
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. capital — money
  22. fine — all right
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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