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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: pop · key · fork · leaves · charge · lean · vault · wind

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — in control
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — a price
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wind — moving air
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pop — soda
  24. fork — in a road

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