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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: bark · firm · charge · wake · board · coach · ground · safe

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. firm — steady
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. charge — a price
  7. board — to get on
  8. charge — in control
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wake — a trail
  11. firm — a company
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ground — the earth
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ground — a position
  20. charge — electricity
  21. firm — decided
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. coach — a trainer

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