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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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Word bank
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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: ruler · coach · net · bass · board · calf · charge · cap

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a committee
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — to get on
  5. net — in sport
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cap — a lid
  13. net — after costs
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bass — low music
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — the instrument

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