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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
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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: present · mate · clip · coach · charge · toast · squash · foot

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. clip — for paper
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mate — to breed
  10. present — a gift
  11. toast — bread
  12. present — there
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mate — a friend
  16. clip — a video
  17. charge — a price
  18. clip — to cut
  19. mate — a partner
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. foot — a measure
  23. present — the time now
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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