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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: net · vault · present · charge · key · lean · track · staff

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. charge — a price
  2. present — there
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. track — to keep track
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lean — thin
  8. track — a song
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — the time now
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. net — in sport
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — to bend
  18. present — a gift
  19. net — for catching
  20. track — a path
  21. charge — in control
  22. vault — a safe
  23. staff — a stick
  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