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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: lean · suit · bark · chair · hand · ball · charge · vault

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ball — a dance
  9. charge — in control
  10. hand — help
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bark — to shout
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hand — in cards
  22. charge — a price
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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