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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: coach · can · nail · ruler · last · content · charge · pop

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. can — to be able to
  3. last — final
  4. pop — to visit
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. charge — electricity
  11. content — happy
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — a price
  14. last — finally
  15. charge — in control
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pop — music
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. content — the amount
  23. pop — soda
  24. nail — on a finger

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