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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: coach · charge · bear · racket · shower · squash · temple · track

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. track — a song
  3. shower — to wash
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. squash — the sport
  7. shower — rain
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. squash — to crush
  15. charge — in control
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bear — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. racket — for tennis

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