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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 116 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: fine · coach · wake · present · wax · board · capital · file

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. file — a document
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. file — a line of people
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. board — a committee
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — to get on
  13. file — a tool
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wax — to grow
  16. capital — a city
  17. fine — all right
  18. capital — money
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fine — high quality
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wax — for sculpting

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