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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: vault · pass · leaves · lean · mug · straw · coach · charge

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lean — to bend
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lean — thin
  7. vault — a safe
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mug — a face
  10. charge — in control
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mug — a cup
  19. charge — a price
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. charge — electricity
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. lean — to rest against

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