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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: spell · coach · current · chest · board · plane · calf · mate

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. chest — a box
  3. spell — a short time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. current — of water
  7. board — a committee
  8. chest — of your body
  9. spell — letters
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. mate — a friend
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mate — to breed
  18. current — electric
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. spell — magic
  23. chest — of your body
  24. plane — a tool

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