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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: bear · stand · degree · current · can · coach · racket · jam

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. current — electric
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. degree — from a university
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. degree — temperature
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — of water
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stand — to bear
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. current — happening now
  23. degree — an amount
  24. coach — a trainer

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