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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 · charge · cabinet · kid · mate · pound

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mate — a friend
  8. kid — child
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. mate — a partner
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. charge — in control
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mate — to breed
  18. charge — a price

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