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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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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: chest · can · object · charge · roll · dip · rest · coach

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — to be able to
  4. object — an aim
  5. charge — in control
  6. chest — a box
  7. object — to protest
  8. chest — of your body
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. charge — a price
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — a break
  15. chest — of your body
  16. dip — to sink
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — electricity
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rest — what's left
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rest — what's left

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