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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: season · shower · nail · board · stand · coach · bore · ruler

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bore — to tire
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bore — to drill
  17. board — a committee
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. board — to get on
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stand — to bear
  23. season — in sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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