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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 116 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 · trunk · bound · scale · object · charge · rush · saw

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bound — certain
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. object — to protest
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. saw — the tool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. object — a thing
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bound — obliged
  20. saw — the tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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