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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 · spell · vault · scale · board · saw · rush · date

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. spell — letters
  7. board — to get on
  8. spell — magic
  9. vault — a safe
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. spell — a short time
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. scale — in music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. date — the fruit
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rush — hurry
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. charge — in control
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — a price

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