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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 116 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 · coach · mouse · present · court · lie · bark · rash

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rash — a series
  5. court — for sport
  6. charge — a price
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — of a king
  12. present — a gift
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. present — there
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — the time now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. court — of law
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. charge — in control

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