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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: bound · pit · coach · spell · perch · charge · bore · pop

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pop — music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. spell — magic
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pit — in a race
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pop — soda
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pop — to visit
  13. charge — a price
  14. bound — certain
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. spell — letters
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. charge — in control
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. charge — electricity

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