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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 120 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: bound · board · mate · season · coach · cap · wave · foot

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mate — to breed
  3. board — a committee
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a lid
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mate — a partner
  12. season — of the year
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bound — certain
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cap — a hat
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cap — of ice

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