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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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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: vault · field · charge · kick · cell · rest

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cell — in biology
  4. field — farmland
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. field — a subject
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — what's left
  10. field — for sport
  11. rest — a break
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. vault — a safe
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cell — a phone
  18. kick — in football

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