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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: date · vault · kid · dip · pass · charge · perch · hand

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hand — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. date — the fruit
  11. perch — the fish
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. hand — help
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — child

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