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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: sharp · leaves · snap · pitcher · chip · charge · vault · stem

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — a price
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. charge — in control
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. snap — to click
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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