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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
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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: game · charge · vault · wave · staff · mark · sharp · tube

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. game — a match
  6. staff — employees
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. tube — the underground
  10. charge — a price
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mark — a grade
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. game — wild animals
  21. vault — a safe
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. tube — a container
  24. charge — in control

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