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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: firm · spring · cabinet · coach · jam · snap · season · charge

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. spring — the season
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — a price
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. charge — in control
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. spring — a coil
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — of the year
  19. firm — a company
  20. season — in sport
  21. spring — of water
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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