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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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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: bay · charge · pop · row · perch · cap · temple · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cap — of ice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — electricity
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cap — a lid
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pop — soda
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. row — to paddle
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — a price
  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