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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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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: rest · nail · charge · lean · pound · coach · cap · club

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. club — for golf
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. lean — to bend
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — in control
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rest — a break
  23. cap — a hat
  24. coach — a trainer

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