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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: coach · cue · track · game · wake · charge · sharp · pit

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pit — a hole
  4. game — a match
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pit — in a race
  15. track — a song
  16. game — wild animals
  17. sharp — clever
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wake — before a funeral

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