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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: firm · charge · stick · coach · saw · lean · race · season

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. firm — a company
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — a price
  6. lean — thin
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. charge — in control
  9. race — the arms race
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. race — humankind
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lean — to bend
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — in sport
  19. race — a contest
  20. season — of the year
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — decided
  24. season — to add flavour

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