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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wake — a trail
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. board — to get on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — a committee
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. stock — shares
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — hurry
  20. roll — a cake
  21. chip — to eat
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. roll — a list
  24. wake — before a funeral

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