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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: rush · file · charge · toast · coach · dip · stand · nail

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. file — a document
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. charge — in control
  11. file — a line of people
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — a price
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. dip — to sink
  22. file — a tool
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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