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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: can · coach · fine · pound · chair · shower · charge · mate

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. fine — all right
  8. shower — rain
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mate — a partner
  13. charge — in control
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. can — to be able to
  16. shower — to wash
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — a price
  21. chair — a leader
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — a tin
  24. pound — a weight

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