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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · mug · bear · straw · dip · charge

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. charge — in control
  4. mug — to rob
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — a price
  14. dip — to sink
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face

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