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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 116 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: key · bear · squash · vault · charge · kid · racket · ball

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. charge — in control
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bear — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ball — a dance
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. charge — electricity
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. key — the most important part
  13. kid — child
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a great time
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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