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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: chair · coach · bowl · pop · charge · dip · board · mouse

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. board — to get on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. charge — electricity
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. dip — to sink
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. charge — in control
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — a price
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

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