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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rash — a series
  3. march — music
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rash — hasty
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bank — for money
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — to play on
  14. charge — electricity
  15. march — the month
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — in control
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bank — of a river
  23. swing — music
  24. march — the month

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