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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: fine · cold · current · coach · charge · board · stick · last

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cold — an illness
  3. last — to go on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fine — all right
  8. charge — in control
  9. last — finally
  10. cold — not warm
  11. board — a committee
  12. fine — high quality
  13. board — to get on
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — happening now
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. last — final
  24. charge — a price

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