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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 116 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: charge · bay · vault · mouse · kick · stick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. charge — in control
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. kick — in football
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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