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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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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: content · vault · fall · pound · charge · branch · rest · coach

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fall — to drop
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. vault — a safe
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rest — a break
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. fall — the season
  10. rest — what's left
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. branch — a division
  13. fall — to drop
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rest — what's left
  17. content — the amount
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. charge — a price
  22. content — happy
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. branch — of a bank

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