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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: spell · nail · board · net · cap · coach · chip · perch

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chip — for betting
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. board — a committee
  8. net — after costs
  9. cap — of ice
  10. board — to get on
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. spell — a short time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cap — a hat
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — for catching
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spell — magic
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spell — letters

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