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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: lie · nail · ruler · coach · kick · board · charge · craft

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kick — in football
  6. craft — boats
  7. board — a committee
  8. craft — a skill
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. charge — in control
  24. ruler — for measuring

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