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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: sharp · charge · temple · wound · current · bulb · fan · vault

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — for light
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wound — an injury
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wound — an injury
  20. current — electric
  21. bulb — for light
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. current — happening now

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