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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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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: deal · toast · wind · coach · file · lash · rock · charge

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wind — moving air
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a tool
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — in control
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — music
  11. toast — bread
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wind — moving air
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. charge — a price
  22. file — a document
  23. charge — electricity
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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