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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: rash · hand · lie · swing · bowl · ground · coach · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — help
  12. ground — a position
  13. hand — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — a series
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ground — the earth
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bowl — to roll

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