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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: fine · march · firm · bulb · tube · charge · court · vault

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — for sport
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. firm — decided
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — steady
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fine — all right
  14. tube — a container
  15. firm — a company
  16. march — music
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fine — high quality
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — in control
  24. court — of a king

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