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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: wave · vault · cell · racket · bark · charge · mug · pitch

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bark — to shout
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pitch — completely
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. charge — a price
  21. cell — a phone
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wave — with your hand

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