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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.

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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: bass · charge · mouse · branch · cue · pound · coach · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bass — the fish
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cue — a hint
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. charge — electricity
  9. drill — army training
  10. charge — in control
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — a price
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bass — low music

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