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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 · press · mate · calf · fall · pass · object · vault

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. charge — a price
  3. press — to push
  4. mate — to breed
  5. object — a thing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pass — a permit
  9. press — a publisher
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fall — to drop
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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