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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: charge · bulb · vault · calf · fine · pitcher · roll · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. roll — a list
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bulb — for light
  16. roll — a cake
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. charge — in control
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — a price
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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