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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: racket · current · bat · clip · wave · cabinet · coach · board

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. board — to get on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a committee
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. current — of water
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. current — electric
  19. clip — for paper
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — with your hand

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