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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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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 · fork · wave · chair · wake · board · ruler · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chair — a leader
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rock — music
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. board — to get on
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. board — a committee
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fork — in a road
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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