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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: fork · lean · nail · pound · charge · pop · scale · coach

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pop — music
  5. charge — in control
  6. lean — thin
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lean — to bend
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pop — soda
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fork — in a road
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — in music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. charge — a price
  24. pop — to visit

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