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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: lash · charge · mouse · march · bore · board · branch · coach

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. board — to get on
  4. charge — in control
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. march — music
  7. bore — to tire
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. branch — a division
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — a price
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. march — the month
  23. board — a committee
  24. bore — to drill

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