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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 120 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: wave · fan · vault · suit · track · club · charge · ground

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ground — crushed
  3. charge — a price
  4. track — a path
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. club — for dancing
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. club — for golf
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — clothes
  22. club — a group
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. suit — in cards

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