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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · stick · bound · vault · pit · charge

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. charge — a price
  5. kick — in football
  6. bound — obliged
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. charge — in control
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bound — certain
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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