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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 120 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: firm · coach · charge · straw · branch · cabinet · court · object

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. object — an aim
  3. firm — decided
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. object — a thing
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. court — of a king
  10. charge — in control
  11. firm — a company
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. object — to protest
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. firm — steady
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. court — of law
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. court — for sport
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. charge — electricity

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