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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 116 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: bass · charge · bowl · coach · fan · face · pitcher · snap

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — the fish
  9. charge — a price
  10. face — to point toward
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. snap — to click
  16. charge — in control
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. face — to confront
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bass — low music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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