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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. track — a song
  3. staff — employees
  4. track — to keep track
  5. staff — employees
  6. track — a path
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cell — a phone
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. current — electric
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. cue — for pool
  16. race — a contest
  17. cue — a hint
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. cell — in biology
  20. current — happening now
  21. cue — a signal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. staff — a stick
  24. current — of water

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