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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: press · bark · staff · sharp · charge · coach · swing · board

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. swing — in golf
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — to get on
  4. swing — music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. charge — electricity
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. staff — employees
  17. press — newspapers
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — a committee
  20. press — to push
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. charge — in control
  23. sharp — clever
  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