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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. wind — moving air
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — wild animals
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. charge — electricity
  15. board — to get on
  16. wind — moving air
  17. game — a match
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. board — a committee
  24. plane — in geometry

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