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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · rash · kick · band · current · board · arm · deal

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. board — a committee
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. deal — to handle
  11. board — to get on
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. kick — in football
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. rash — hasty
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rash — a series
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — of water
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. arm — a part of something

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