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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. last — to go on
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. hand — help
  7. charge — a price
  8. hand — in cards
  9. last — finally
  10. charge — electricity
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — a measure
  14. last — final
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wake — a trail
  19. cue — for pool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cue — a signal
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. hand — part of the body

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