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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 116 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: pit · face · coach · mate · pop · bound · board · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. board — to get on
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. last — to go on
  6. mate — to breed
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pop — soda
  10. bound — tied together
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. last — final
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. face — to confront
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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