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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · sharp · bark · vault · charge · snap · mine · perch

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. perch — the fish
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. charge — a price
  12. rush — hurry
  13. snap — to click
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mine — for digging
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. sharp — clever

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