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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
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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: charge · net · lie · mine · vault · bass · staff · season

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. charge — in control
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mine — for digging
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — electricity
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. charge — a price
  13. net — in sport
  14. bass — the fish
  15. net — after costs
  16. season — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. staff — employees
  24. mine — an explosive

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