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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: key · mug · coach · bear · cap · board · charge · pop

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. board — to get on
  3. charge — a price
  4. pop — soda
  5. bear — the animal
  6. key — the most important part
  7. board — a committee
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cap — a lid
  10. key — in music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — in control
  16. pop — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mug — a face
  20. cap — of ice
  21. charge — electricity
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bear — to put up with

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