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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: board · fan · charge · pass · net · game · trunk · coach

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. board — to get on
  3. net — after costs
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pass — a permit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. charge — electricity
  15. game — wild animals
  16. net — for catching
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. net — in sport
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. charge — a price

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