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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.

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: charge · bore · bass · toast · nail · shower · vault · plane

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. plane — a tool
  6. charge — a price
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. charge — in control
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — low music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. toast — bread
  19. bore — to tire
  20. shower — rain
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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