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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: vault · rule · charge · bound · bay · kid

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bound — certain
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rule — a law
  6. kid — to tease
  7. charge — in control
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bound — tied together
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. charge — a price
  12. rule — government
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. vault — a safe
  15. kid — child
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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