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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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Word bank
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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: object · wake · present · charge · vault · craft

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. charge — a price
  3. object — to protest
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. craft — a skill
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. craft — boats
  9. present — there
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. present — the time now
  16. object — an aim
  17. wake — a trail
  18. present — a gift

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