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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: bat · bay · charge · rule · coach · hide · trunk · chest

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. charge — a price
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rule — government
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rule — a law
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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