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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: bowl · key · vault · fork · mate · track · charge · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. vault — a safe
  6. key — in music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. key — the most important part
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mate — to breed
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mate — a friend
  22. charge — in control
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. track — a song

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