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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 116 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: coach · plane · wave · rash · charge · board · file · nail

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. file — a document
  3. board — to get on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — electricity
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rash — hasty
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. file — a line of people
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rash — a series
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. file — a tool
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rash — on the skin

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