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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: vault · lie · game · wake · shower · charge · craft · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. shower — to wash
  6. game — wild animals
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. shower — rain
  10. charge — in control
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — boats
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. vault — a safe
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. game — a match

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