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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: vault · bark · bowl · squash · charge · tube · wind · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. charge — in control
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wind — moving air
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bark — to shout
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. squash — the sport
  12. tube — a container
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mug — a face
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — the underground
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bark — of a tree

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