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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: jam · roll · net · coach · pitcher · nail · charge · drill

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. net — for catching
  7. roll — a list
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. charge — in control
  10. drill — army training
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. roll — a cake
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. drill — the tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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