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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: charge · bark · press · hand · plane · nail · coach · can

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bark — to shout
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. hand — help
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. charge — electricity
  16. hand — in cards
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. press — a publisher
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — on a finger

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