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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · bay · sharp · board · file · degree · kick · drill

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. drill — army training
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. board — a committee
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. file — a tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. board — to get on
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. file — a line of people
  18. degree — an amount
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. kick — in football
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. kick — a thrill

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