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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · cap · wave · board · staff · game · clip · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. clip — to cut
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. staff — employees
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — a stick
  12. board — to get on
  13. cap — a lid
  14. game — a match
  15. cap — of ice
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cap — a hat
  18. staff — employees
  19. clip — a video
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. clip — for paper
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. game — wild animals

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