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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: band · coach · can · rock · hide · bore · fine · charge

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fine — all right
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. band — a ring
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bore — to tire
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. can — a tin
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bore — to drill
  22. band — a music group
  23. rock — a stone
  24. coach — a trainer

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