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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: hide · bulb · season · charge · rush · coach · foot · straw

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bulb — for light
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — electricity
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — a price
  18. season — of the year
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. charge — in control
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. season — in sport
  24. foot — the bottom

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