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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: game · deal · charge · hide · press · coach · wax · drill

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — to push
  6. drill — a practice
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. press — a publisher
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. charge — a price
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — in control
  18. wax — to grow
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — electricity
  21. game — a match
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. deal — to handle
  24. hide — to keep secret

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