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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: wax · charge · game · bear · vault · swing · dip · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. swing — in golf
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bear — the animal
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. dip — to sink
  16. swing — to play on
  17. game — a match
  18. vault — a safe
  19. swing — music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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