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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: rest · bulb · coach · board · ball · track · fork · season

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. track — a song
  3. season — in sport
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. season — of the year
  6. board — to get on
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — a break
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. track — a path
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bulb — of a plant

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