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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · track · vault · squash · tear · chair · charge · ball

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. charge — in control
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rash — a series
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rash — hasty
  14. tear — to rip
  15. squash — the sport
  16. ball — a dance
  17. tear — from crying
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. charge — electricity
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. tear — from crying
  23. charge — a price
  24. chair — a professorship

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