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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: dip · mate · pitcher · coach · field · nail · charge · rest

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. charge — in control
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rest — what's left
  6. charge — a price
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. field — a subject
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. field — farmland
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — to sink
  15. field — for sport
  16. rest — a break
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — electricity
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pitcher — a jug

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