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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: board · pit · lean · drill · shower · fork · coach · leaves

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. lean — thin
  3. shower — rain
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. shower — to wash
  19. drill — a practice
  20. lean — to bend
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. leaves — lets stay

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