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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: can · kick · charge · coach · cold · fork · temple · board

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. kick — in football
  3. charge — in control
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. cold — an illness
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cold — not warm
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. can — to be able to

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