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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. charge — electricity
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — a break
  8. charge — in control
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — to drill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ground — a position
  14. charge — a price
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bore — to tire
  23. club — a group
  24. rest — what's left

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