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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: board · charge · shower · nail · craft · game · coach · band

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. board — a committee
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. band — a music group
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. shower — to wash
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — in control
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. game — a match
  20. board — to get on
  21. band — a ring
  22. craft — boats
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — on a finger

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