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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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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: charge · key · vault · present · court · bark · kick · cabinet

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  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. kick — in football
  2. key — the most important part
  3. present — there
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bark — to shout
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. key — for a lock
  11. present — a gift
  12. vault — a safe
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. court — for sport
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. present — the time now
  19. charge — a price
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. court — of a king
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. court — of law
  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