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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.

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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: charge · current · coach · calf · board · bowl · spring · present

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. board — to get on
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. present — there
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. present — a gift
  14. current — electric
  15. spring — the season
  16. current — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. board — a committee
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. present — the time now
  21. current — happening now
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. spring — of water

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