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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · fine · kid · fan · vault · charge · staff · scale

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. scale — size or range
  3. staff — employees
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. charge — in control
  7. vault — a safe
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. staff — a stick
  13. charge — a price
  14. kid — child
  15. fine — all right
  16. kid — to tease
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. content — the amount
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. content — happy
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fine — high quality

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