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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lie · root · coach · mate · game · object · charge · swing

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. swing — to play on
  4. game — a match
  5. charge — in control
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mate — a friend
  9. object — to protest
  10. swing — in golf
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. root — the cause
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — a price
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. swing — music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — of a plant
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — a thing

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