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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: club · toast · coach · mark · pitcher · perch · charge · safe

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. club — for golf
  7. charge — electricity
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. perch — the fish
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. club — for dancing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. charge — in control
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. club — a group
  24. safe — a strongbox

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