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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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. scale — size or range
  4. cue — a signal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. scale — in music
  13. cap — of ice
  14. current — electric
  15. can — a tin
  16. board — a committee
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. board — to get on
  19. can — a tin
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. can — to be able to

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