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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · coach · bowl · vault · land · fan · arm · wake

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. board — to get on
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. land — a country
  8. board — a committee
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. land — to come down
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. vault — a safe
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. land — ground
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bowl — a dish

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