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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: land · dip · stand · charge · arm · vault · content · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. land — ground
  3. charge — in control
  4. vault — a safe
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. dip — to sink
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. content — the amount
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. land — to come down
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. content — happy
  20. charge — electricity
  21. land — a country
  22. charge — a price
  23. stand — to bear
  24. dip — to dunk

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