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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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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: charge · roll · jam · fan · vault · rule · mate · fall

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. fall — the season
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mate — to breed
  12. charge — in control
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fall — to drop
  15. roll — a list
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rule — government
  18. charge — electricity
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fall — to drop
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mate — a partner
  23. charge — a price
  24. rule — a law

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