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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: lie · fan · safe · press · vault · wind · hand · charge

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. charge — electricity
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. press — a publisher
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hand — in cards
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. charge — a price
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. charge — in control
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — help
  20. vault — a safe
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — to push
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wind — moving air

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