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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: vault · face · toast · drill · charge · bound · perch · coach

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. perch — the fish
  5. face — to confront
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. drill — the tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — bread
  12. drill — a practice
  13. charge — electricity
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bound — obliged
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. vault — a safe
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. drill — army training

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