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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: board · chip · fine · pitcher · cabinet · band · fan · coach

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. band — a ring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. band — a music group
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fine — all right
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chip — for betting
  21. board — to get on
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — high quality

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