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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · cue · mug · charge · rush · coach · ball · roll

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mug — a cup
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. roll — a list
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — a face
  14. spring — the season
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a dance
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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