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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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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. drill — army training
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pound — a weight
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. drill — a practice
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — for money
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — of a river

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