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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: press · cell · sharp · vault · charge · dip · leaves · coach

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. vault — a safe
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. sharp — clever
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. press — a publisher
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. press — to push
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — of a tree

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