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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 120 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: vault · lean · stock · lash · kick · mark · charge · face

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. vault — a safe
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. kick — in football
  7. lean — thin
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. face — part of the head
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stock — goods
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stock — shares
  17. face — to confront
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. face — to point toward
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. kick — a thrill

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