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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: bore · stem · rule · charge · racket · vault

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. charge — in control
  5. stem — to come from
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rule — a law
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rule — government
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis

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