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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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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: bear · snap · fine · charge · current · swing · vault · rash

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. vault — a safe
  8. current — electric
  9. swing — to play on
  10. charge — in control
  11. rash — a series
  12. current — of water
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. snap — to click
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bear — the animal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. swing — music
  20. charge — a price
  21. current — happening now
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bear — to put up with

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