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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
468
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: content · mine · rush · coach · charge · stick · bark · stand

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — electricity
  4. content — the amount
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. charge — in control
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. charge — a price
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bark — to shout
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — to bear
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. content — happy

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