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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: bound · fall · vault · scale · mouse · rush · jam · charge

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. charge — a price
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. scale — in music
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bound — certain
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rush — hurry
  18. charge — in control
  19. fall — to drop
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bound — obliged
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rush — to hurry

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