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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 120 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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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: cap · charge · snap · bay · tube · fine · vault · bark

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tube — a container
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. vault — a safe
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — all right
  20. snap — to click
  21. charge — a price
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. cap — a lid
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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