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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: saw · clip · bound · kick · charge · pound · board · coach

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pound — a weight
  3. clip — to cut
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. charge — in control
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kick — in football
  13. clip — for paper
  14. board — a committee
  15. bound — certain
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. charge — a price
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. clip — a video
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. charge — electricity

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