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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: shower · staff · cap · pound · coach · nail · rest · charge

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. shower — rain
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. staff — a stick
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. staff — employees
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rest — what's left
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cap — a lid
  18. charge — a price
  19. rest — a break
  20. shower — to wash
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pound — a weight
  24. staff — employees

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