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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: bowl · coach · pit · charge · staff · jam · hand · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pit — in a race
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a hole
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. charge — in control
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. staff — employees
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pound — a weight
  13. hand — help
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. charge — a price
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. staff — a stick
  23. hand — in cards
  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