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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 116 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: squash · can · pass · mate · charge · coach · object · fan

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mate — a partner
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — to protest
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — an aim
  16. can — a tin
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mate — to breed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — a price
  24. object — a thing

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