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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 · pit · lean · degree · lie · racket · vault · firm

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. charge — in control
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — a price
  6. degree — from a university
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. degree — temperature
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pit — in a race
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. firm — decided
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pit — a hole
  21. firm — steady
  22. degree — an amount
  23. firm — a company
  24. vault — a safe

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