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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.

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: coach · bark · leaves · bore · stick · board · toast · charge

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. board — a committee
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — electricity
  22. toast — bread
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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