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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: tube · vault · mark · kick · bore · sharp · charge · fork

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bore — to drill
  7. kick — in football
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fork — in a road
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. vault — a safe
  19. charge — in control
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. charge — a price

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