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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: rash · charge · deal · fan · coach · wake · roll · face

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. face — to confront
  5. roll — a cake
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — to handle
  10. roll — a list
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rash — a series
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to point toward
  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