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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: pitcher · kid · bank · vault · lean · ball · content · charge

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bank — for money
  15. kid — child
  16. bank — for money
  17. kid — to tease
  18. content — the amount
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. charge — electricity
  22. vault — a safe
  23. lean — thin
  24. bank — of a river

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