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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 120 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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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: charge · vault · mate · bulb · sharp · bound · mine · squash

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bound — obliged
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. vault — a safe
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. charge — in control
  15. bound — certain
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. charge — a price
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mine — an explosive

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