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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: bore · bowl · board · stick · mark · lie · coach · mouse

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — a committee
  6. bore — to tire
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. board — to get on
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bore — to drill

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