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

Word bank: club · board · fall · coach · chair · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. club — for golf
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chair — a leader
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. board — a committee
  14. fall — to drop
  15. club — a group
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chair — a professorship

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