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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: coach · last · chair · bowl · charge · drill · ball · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — to go on
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. last — finally
  6. drill — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. chair — a leader
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. last — final
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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