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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 120 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: stick · vault · cell · pass · season · charge · mug · net

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cell — in biology
  3. season — in sport
  4. mug — a face
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pass — a permit
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mug — to rob
  15. net — for catching
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. net — after costs
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — in sport
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cell — a phone

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