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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: toast · spring · pound · nail · charge · coach · mouse · game

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. game — a match
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. game — wild animals
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. toast — bread
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. charge — in control
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. game — a kind of play

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