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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: present · cabinet · firm · coach · row · chest · board · hide

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. present — a gift
  5. chest — a box
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — to get on
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. present — there
  10. row — to paddle
  11. chest — of your body
  12. firm — decided
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chest — of your body
  16. firm — steady
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. present — the time now
  23. board — a committee
  24. row — a line

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