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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 120 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 · mate · hide · mine · ball · wax · coach · deal

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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. mine — for digging
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. charge — in control
  8. ball — a great time
  9. charge — electricity
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mate — to breed

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