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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: coach · pound · swing · club · charge · wave

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. charge — in control
  3. pound — a weight
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — to play on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. club — a group
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. club — for golf
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. charge — electricity

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