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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: stick · cabinet · pound · board · ball · coach · jam · cell

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. board — a committee
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. coach — a trainer

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