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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: trunk · coach · fall · leaves · sharp · current · racket · rock

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. fall — the season
  5. rock — a stone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — of water
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — clever
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — music
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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