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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 · kid · current · vault · dip · cue · tube · last

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cue — a hint
  3. current — of water
  4. dip — to sink
  5. last — final
  6. current — happening now
  7. cue — a signal
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. last — to go on
  10. current — electric
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tube — a container
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. charge — a price
  15. kid — to tease
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. last — finally
  18. charge — electricity
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. charge — in control
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. kid — child

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