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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: pop · land · kid · bulb · vault · face · dip · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. land — a country
  3. pop — to visit
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. vault — a safe
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bulb — for light
  8. face — to point toward
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bulb — for light
  11. face — part of the head
  12. charge — electricity
  13. kid — child
  14. face — to confront
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pop — music
  17. kid — to tease
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. dip — to sink
  23. charge — a price
  24. pop — soda

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