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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stick · pop · bank · coach · charge · toast · cue · game

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cue — a hint
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pop — to visit
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. charge — a price
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. toast — bread
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. cue — a signal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — for money
  24. charge — in control

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