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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: last · row · vault · chip · calf · tube · saw · charge

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. last — final
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — in control
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. tube — a container
  12. charge — a price
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. row — to paddle
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. last — finally
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. last — to go on
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — for betting

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