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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 · vault · mark · stick · bulb · coach · toast · chest

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a trace
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chest — a box
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. toast — bread
  10. charge — in control
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. chest — of your body
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. charge — a price
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bulb — of a plant

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