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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
468
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 · bear · plane · board · spell · chair · cue · pass

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. spell — letters
  6. chair — a leader
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cue — a signal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cue — a hint
  23. board — to get on
  24. pass — a permit

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