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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: rule · bear · vault · charge · swing · wake

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rule — government
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bear — the animal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. charge — in control
  17. swing — in golf
  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