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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: bear · rush · vault · key · wake · snap · arm · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. snap — to click
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bear — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wake — a trail
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. key — the most important part
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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