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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
468
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: mouse · vault · bass · charge · bound · tube · temple · capital

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. bound — certain
  6. tube — a container
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bass — low music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bound — obliged
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bass — the fish
  24. tube — in a tire

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