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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: stem · pitch · land · sharp · current · charge · lash · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. current — electric
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stem — to come from
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — in control
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. charge — electricity
  17. sharp — clever
  18. current — happening now
  19. pitch — completely
  20. current — of water
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. land — ground
  23. charge — a price
  24. vault — a safe

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