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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: coach · mark · wake · land · charge · firm · ball · bore

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bore — to tire
  6. land — a country
  7. charge — electricity
  8. land — ground
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. land — to come down
  15. firm — a company
  16. charge — a price
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — in control
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. firm — steady
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ball — a round shape

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