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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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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 · pit · mug · capital · roll · fork · vault · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. charge — a price
  3. mug — a cup
  4. capital — a city
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pit — a hole
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. roll — a cake
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mug — a face
  14. capital — money
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. roll — a list
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mug — to rob
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. fork — a garden tool

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