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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · bulb · bat · vault · charge · lash · spell · drill

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — in music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bat — the animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. spell — a short time
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. spell — magic
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. drill — a practice
  16. spell — letters
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. drill — army training
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. charge — a price
  24. bulb — for light

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