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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — to shout
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ball — a dance
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. key — in music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. key — for a lock

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