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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: lie · press · coach · suit · firm · charge · bay · fork

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. press — a publisher
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — to fit
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. charge — in control
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — a price
  16. fork — in a road
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. firm — a company
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — clothes

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