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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: rule · vault · rash · spell · board · charge · pop · kid

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. charge — electricity
  5. board — a committee
  6. pop — music
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — a law
  10. kid — child
  11. rash — a series
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. board — to get on
  14. vault — a safe
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. spell — letters
  19. pop — soda
  20. rule — government
  21. charge — a price
  22. rash — hasty
  23. spell — a short time
  24. kid — to tease

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