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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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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: deal · stick · charge · vault · wave · last · cold · pitch

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — to go on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — a safe
  5. charge — in control
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. last — finally
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. charge — a price
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. last — final
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cold — an illness
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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