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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: craft · vault · mark · wax · face · charge · leaves · pound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pound — a weight
  9. face — to confront
  10. craft — a skill
  11. face — part of the head
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. vault — a safe
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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