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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: row · charge · clip · nail · bear · vault · date · game

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. clip — to cut
  3. row — to paddle
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. game — wild animals
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. clip — a video
  17. vault — a safe
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. clip — for paper
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. game — a match
  24. row — a line

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