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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bound — certain
  8. board — a committee
  9. mate — to breed
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bound — obliged
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fork — in a road
  16. season — of the year
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — tied together
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. season — in sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mate — a friend

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