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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: charge · stick · clip · snap · lean · mark · vault · calf

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — a safe
  6. clip — a video
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. clip — for paper
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. snap — to click
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. charge — electricity
  15. clip — to cut
  16. lean — to bend
  17. charge — a price
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. lean — thin
  21. mark — a grade
  22. charge — in control
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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