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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: pound · lie · coach · nail · spell · capital · charge · rash

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. charge — a price
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rash — a series
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — letters
  15. charge — in control
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rash — hasty
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a city
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pound — to hit hard

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