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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: mate · lean · coach · charge · net · cabinet · bay · hand

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. charge — electricity
  4. net — for catching
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. charge — in control
  9. mate — to breed
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mate — a partner
  13. hand — help
  14. net — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — thin
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mate — a friend
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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