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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: content · swing · pass · lean · pop · vault · charge · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. press — to push
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pop — soda
  10. vault — a safe
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. pop — to visit
  17. charge — a price
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pop — music
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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