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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: file · charge · board · coach · perch · content · cue · kick

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. content — the amount
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. perch — the fish
  5. charge — in control
  6. content — happy
  7. file — a tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. cue — for pool
  11. board — a committee
  12. file — a document
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cue — a hint
  16. file — a line of people
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. charge — electricity
  20. kick — in football
  21. cue — a signal
  22. charge — a price
  23. coach — a trainer
  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