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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: snap · perch · temple · coach · pitch · rush · spring · charge

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. spring — a coil
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. spring — of water
  9. charge — a price
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — electricity
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. snap — to click
  16. spring — the season
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — hurry
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pitch — completely
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. perch — for a bird

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