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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: scale · net · coach · board · wake · bowl · drill · fine

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. net — for catching
  8. drill — a practice
  9. net — after costs
  10. fine — all right
  11. net — in sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wake — before a funeral

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