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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: charge · sharp · mine · coach · pop · saw · net · straw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — clever
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. net — for catching
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — in control
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pop — music
  15. net — in sport
  16. pop — soda
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — a price
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. net — after costs
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mine — for digging
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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