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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: suit · rock · sharp · root · lie · wound · coach · charge

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wound — an injury
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — in cards
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. charge — a price
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rock — a stone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. charge — in control
  24. sharp — with an edge

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