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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: temple · drill · charge · vault · bass · lean · tube · season

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. season — of the year
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. season — in sport
  6. bass — the fish
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. charge — in control
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. vault — a safe
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bass — low music
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. charge — a price
  19. lean — thin
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. tube — a container
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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