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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: bat · board · charge · vault · pound · calf · ball · temple

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. board — to get on
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. charge — in control
  23. ball — a great time
  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