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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 · hand · stick · perch · jam · mine · vault · bear

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. hand — help
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. charge — in control
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mine — for digging
  23. charge — a price
  24. bear — the animal

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