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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · rest · board · nail · scale · mate · coach · content

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mate — to breed
  4. content — the amount
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rest — a break
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rest — what's left
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mate — a partner
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. content — happy
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. leaves — lets stay

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