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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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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 · charge · temple · deal · staff · hide · sharp · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. sharp — clever
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. staff — employees

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