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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wake — a trail
  5. capital — money
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. capital — a city
  16. charge — electricity
  17. board — a committee
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. charge — in control

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