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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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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. current — of water
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. current — electric
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a song
  21. current — happening now
  22. track — a path
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lean — to bend

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