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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: jam · fine · staff · charge · march · swing · fall · vault

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. vault — a safe
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fall — the season
  5. staff — employees
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. staff — employees
  8. swing — to play on
  9. march — music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fall — to drop
  12. swing — in golf
  13. march — the month
  14. fine — high quality
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. march — the month
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. swing — music
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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