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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: wake · lash · snap · field · vault · charge · land · safe

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. field — farmland
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. land — to come down
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. field — for sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. charge — in control
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. snap — to click
  12. field — a subject
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. land — ground
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. charge — a price
  24. vault — a safe

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