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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: coach · march · charge · leaves · lean · nail · board · fan

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — for a hammer

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