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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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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: fork · chair · rest · lie · vault · bay · scale · charge

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rest — a break
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — in control
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. fork — a garden tool

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