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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: hand · charge · lean · pit · vault · wind · fine · cue

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wind — moving air
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pit — a hole
  9. charge — a price
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fine — all right
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. hand — help
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lean — thin
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — electricity
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pit — in a race

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