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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: toast · board · current · branch · row · tube · coach · foot

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. board — to get on
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. row — a line
  7. board — a committee
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. current — happening now
  11. foot — a measure
  12. tube — a container
  13. row — to paddle
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. current — of water
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tube — the underground
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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