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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: wound · charge · fine · coach · suit · stand · saw · drill

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. drill — army training
  11. suit — in cards
  12. drill — the tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. charge — a price
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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