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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 120 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: bass · arm · pound · ground · suit · lie · charge · vault

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. charge — electricity
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ground — a position
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. charge — a price
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bass — low music
  23. pound — a weight
  24. charge — in control

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