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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
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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: charge · coach · wound · rest · chest · hand · rock · key

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chest — a box
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rock — a stone
  9. key — for a lock
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. chest — of your body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. hand — help
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wound — an injury
  19. key — in music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rock — music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. hand — in cards
  24. charge — a price

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