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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fan · vault · rash · charge · net · scale · bear · race

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rash — a series
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. race — humankind
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. net — for catching
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. race — the arms race
  11. scale — in music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. race — a contest
  14. bear — the animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. charge — a price
  17. net — in sport
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. charge — in control
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. net — after costs
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bear — to put up with

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