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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: charge · land · tube · stand · suit · present · branch · vault

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. suit — clothes
  3. present — there
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. tube — the underground
  6. charge — electricity
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. charge — a price
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. present — the time now
  18. tube — a container
  19. vault — a safe
  20. charge — in control
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stand — to bear
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. land — to come down

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