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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: mark · chair · board · can · suit · pound · sharp · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. board — to get on
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. board — a committee
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pound — a weight
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. sharp — clever
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. suit — clothes
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. sharp — exactly

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