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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: object · coach · board · ruler · sharp · chest · capital · snap

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. object — an aim
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. chest — of your body
  6. capital — a city
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. chest — of your body
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — a committee
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chest — a box
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. board — to get on

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