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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.

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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: nail · wake · vault · perch · degree · charge · bore · suit

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. suit — in cards
  11. degree — temperature
  12. suit — to fit
  13. charge — in control
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. perch — the fish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. degree — from a university
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. degree — an amount

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