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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 116 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: club · lie · vault · land · fine · charge · pound · march

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. march — the month
  5. land — ground
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — a group
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pound — a weight
  13. club — for golf
  14. fine — high quality
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. march — music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — a price
  19. march — the month
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fine — all right
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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