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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. charge — in control
  4. bass — the fish
  5. key — in music
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ground — crushed
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bark — to shout
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ground — the earth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. vault — a safe
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — low music

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