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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
468
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: object · face · coach · bore · saw · charge · race · mouse

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. race — a contest
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. object — an aim
  5. face — to confront
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. charge — a price
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — to tire
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. saw — the tool
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — part of the head
  21. saw — the tool
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — in control

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