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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: current · bark · saw · board · bulb · deal · coach · charge

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. board — a committee
  6. current — of water
  7. charge — in control
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. current — happening now
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. current — electric
  22. board — to get on
  23. deal — to handle
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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