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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. branch — a division
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. charge — in control
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. charge — a price
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. sharp — clever
  24. branch — 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